Love is a Battlefield
by Fairytailanimefan
Summary: They first met on Valentine's Day. The story of Clara and Steve throughout the MCU history. Steve/OC LAST EPILOGUE CONTAINS ENDGAME SPOILERS
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One :**

They first met on Valentines Day. Steve looked through his pantry, sighing when he realized he was out of pretty much everything. Since the super-soldier couldn't exactly skip a meal, he shrugged on his coat and headed out the door. He saw a woman outside the door across the hall, struggling to get her keys out of her purse. She had wild brunette hair that was pulled haphazardly into a bun, a pink pencil with a heart shaped eraser sticking out of it. Her struggle was with her two brown paper bags, one with pink and red papers spewing out the top.

"Oh, geez, come on." he heard her mutter as her keys clanged to the floor.

"Ma'am, would you like some help?" he offered, feeling bad for her. But he seemed to only have startled her, as she jumped with a squeal, causing some of her pink and red papers to fly out.

"Oh my god you gave me a heart attack!" she exclaimed, whirling around. Steve felt his mouth go dry. Big green doe eyes peered out from behind the pair of bags. She had wispy bangs that framed her heart shaped face, and a pouty pink mouth that was pursed with a look that made him want to straighten his spine.

"I'm sorry ma'am, I didn't mean to startle you." he leaned down to pick up some of her papers.

"Oh gosh, sorry, you don't have to do that." she leaned over to place her non-paper filled bag down. The sack tipped over with a _clunk_ and a watermelon rolled out. "Shoot, sorry." she scrambled to roll the melon back into the bag.

"I don't mind it." Steve shook his head, handing her the papers that turned out to be handmade valentines cards. They looked a little shoddy, obviously made by inexperienced kids. "These from your kids?" he asked as she stuffed them back into the bag.

"Oh, god no!" she laughed. Her eyes crinkled around the edges. "I'm barely twenty-four, that's a bit young to be having kids."

"Sorry ma'am, I was raised to never assume a woman's age." he ducked his head.

"How gentlemanly. No, these are from, well, my kids. Not my own, but my class. I'm a third grade teacher." she beamed out a radiant smile that was infectious. He grinned back at her.

"They sound like a hoot. 'Miss Clara, thank you for promising to make a watermelon explode for our science unit.' That's a big promise there, is that what the melon is for?" he gestured to the forgotten bag.

"Yeah, we're going to be talking about tension, and if you put enough rubber bands around a watermelon it will burst open." she chuckled sheepishly. "Kids won't really pay attention to science unless something explodes."

"Fascinating." he smiled at her.

"Oh gosh, where are my manners!" she leapt up from where she was kneeling on the ground. He quickly stood as well. "I'm Clara Schmidt, and you are?"

"Steve Rogers." he held out his hand for her to shake. She gripped his hand tightly before smoothing her gray knee-length skirt out. She had on a pink sweater with a white button up underneath, the collar pressed over the neckline.

"Have you moved in recently?" she asked, stooping over to pick up her keys.

"Yeah, just a month or two ago actually."

"Oh, you've been here that long? Sorry I haven't noticed you yet, my schedule is a bit hectic." she laughed again. "Were you heading out?" she glanced at his brown leather jacket.

"I was just about to run and pick up groceries." he rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously as she looked at him, really looked at him for the first time.

"Good luck, it's kind of crazy out there." she snapped her gaze back up to his eyes.

"It is? Oh, Valentine's day." Steve almost smacked himself, he felt a bit dense. "Yeah, everyone's probably out with their sweethearts."

"You look like you'd be able to handle yourself in the crowd." she smiled, pink tinting her cheeks as she gave him another once-over.

"I'll do my best." he chuckled.

"Thanks for helping me out with my cards. You really didn't have to." she turned towards her door.

"It was no problem. Have a good rest of your evening, ma'am." he nodded to her.

"Please don't call me that, it makes me feel so old!" she let out another laugh. "Just call me Clara."

"Of course. Clara." he nodded at her again.

"Have a good night, Steve." she grinned, turning back to unlock the door as he walked towards the stairs.

What a dame.

**A/N: **

I realize this is a short introduction, but I think it was a sweet way to show just their first meeting. More to come soon. XOXO


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

They didn't see each other again for a few days. Steve was barely at his apartment, having to meet with Natasha to brief after his last mission. He walked up the stairs quickly, half-starved after his workout that day. Mentally planning his meal, he almost didn't notice Clara outside her apartment. Her door was cracked open as she peered up at the ceiling, her hair in another messy updo. She was wearing fitted black slacks and a camel colored blazer, a white blouse underneath. He followed her gaze up to the fire extinguisher case. Perched on top was a black cat, an orange collar around its neck. It glared right back down at Clara.

"Good afternoon, Clara." Steve greeted.

"Oh, hi Steve!" she smiled wearily at him. "Um, I really don't mean to impose, but, is there a chance you could do me a favor?"

"I can try to get the cat down, but I don't know if he'll like me." animals seemed to dislike him since the serum.

"Well, he doesn't like anybody except for my dad. If he won't come down I guess I might have to just leave him until he gets hungry." she hummed, finger against her chin, her other hand resting on her hip.

"I'll try." Steve shot her a half smile, stretching his arms up above the case to reach for the cat. He stared at him, moving slightly closer to the edge. He had bright green eyes, just like his owner, and he was able to wrap his hands around him and tuck him into his chest.

"Oh, you got him! Thank you so much!" Clara beamed, bouncing over to scratch the cats head. He was surprised that he wasn't hissing and spitting at him.

"What's his name?" Steve asked, handing the large cat over. Her ears turned red as her hands brushed against his chest.

"H-his name is Richard." she chuckled.

"Poor Richard." Steve smiled.

"Thanks for helping me out again. I feel like you're just too nice to say no." she chuckled as he scratched Richard's chin.

"God said to love thy neighbor." he said without thinking. "Wait-I didn't mean-" his face flushed when he realized what he said.

"I gotcha." she cut him off with a laugh. "Would you-well, maybe would you want to join me for dinner? I have to repay you for two favors now, and I'm sure there will be more in the future." she studied her feet as she asked.

"I wouldn't want to impose." Steve's face flushed.

"Oh no, it's no problem, really. Oh, unless you didn't want to, because that's fine too, I don't want to force you." her face was red as well.

"No! It's not that I don't want to, I just, well, I don't want to put you out of your way."

"It's not a problem." she shook her head.

"Then alright." Steve felt a rush of confidence as he said the words.

"O-okay, come on in." she smiled, pushing her door fully open. "Don't mind the clutter, I have some grading to do this weekend." she set the cat down once he closed the door behind them. She pulled off her blazer and hung it over the back of a chair.

"Is it nice to have weekends off?" Steve asked as he glanced around the small apartment. It was like a mirror image of his own, but much more homey. She had an overstuffed tan couch with blankets folded over the back, a dented coffee table, and a few red rugs scattered around the room. Her kitchen island was on the opposite side of the room, papers scattered over it, as well as a dirty mug and some red pens.

"It would be nicer if I didn't have to bring work home with me." she hurried to pile up the papers to put them away. "Is a chicken pot pie alright? I have the crust prepped, otherwise I can make something else." she opened her fridge, peering inside.

"That sounds great." Steve couldn't remember the last time he'd had the dish. "What would you like me to do?" he stepped over to her.

"Oh, you don't have to help, it's fine. You can take a seat on the couch, it won't take me long." she shooed him off.

"I can't let you do it by yourself." he sighed, shaking his head.

"Well," she mused looking over him. "I suppose you can cut the vegetables while I cut up the chicken."

"I can do that." he smiled. They chatted a bit as they got started, learning a bit about each other. It was nice that she could get to know him like this.

"So, what do you do, Steve?" she asked as she began to cook the onions.

"Um. It's a little complicated." he'd never had to tell anybody that he had been frozen in ice since WWII before.

"Try me." she smiled at him, stirring her mixture in the pan.

"Well, I wasn't always, like… this." he gestured down at himself.

"Not everyone is born looking like a P90X commercial." she giggled as she covered the stew.

"I don't know what that is." he confessed, and she laughed again. "Okay, so my job is complicated. I don't know where to start."

"Start anywhere, I don't mind." she smiled.

"Do you remember a while back, when that soldier was found frozen in the ice?" Steve began cautiously.

"Um, a little." she scrunched her face. "I remember my kids were excited that they found a real superhero. Did you get to work with him?" she asked.

"I am him." he confessed. Her mouth dropped, then she laughed.

"You're kidding." she smiled. When he didn't laugh, her face went slack, then she looked concerned. "You're kidding, right? _You're_ Captain America?"

"Yes." he nodded back. It was no longer a national secret, not for a while. She stared at him for a bit.

"That's… I don't know what to say." she bit her lip.

"It's crazy, I know." he sighed. "Sometimes even I don't believe it."

"How did it happen?" she asked softly. He blinked at her. Usually people wanted to know what he could do and if he could show them, but the way she asked it was like she truly cared.

"Well, when the war started, I tried so hard to join the army and fight for the country. But I got rejected, I was just a scrawny kid. It was tough for me to accept." she nodded along as he spoke. He felt emboldened by her response. "So, when they asked me to become a super-soldier, I said heck yes." she snorted out a laugh, her hands coming up to cover her mouth.

"Sorry, that was embarrassing." she chuckled sheepishly.

"It was pretty cute, actually." he replied, shocked at his boldness. Her face flushed again.

"So how did you end up here?" Clara prompted.

"Well," he paused, "I was in a plane, and it went down. I got frozen, and I guess the serum kept me kicking until they found me. Then I got thawed out and I'm here in New York, figuring out what exactly has changed. Now I work for the government." he gave a bitter laugh.

"Steve, I'm sorry you had to go through that." she covered his hand with her small one. It felt nice. Really swell, actually. He wanted to flip his hand over to hold hers. "Oh, I should finish dinner." she stood quickly, and he felt the corners of his mouth tug down at the loss of contact. She managed to get the pie in the oven and set a timer before he spoke again.

"What's it like to be a teacher?" he asked her. She paused after she sat back down.

"Exhausting." she smiled. "But, it makes me happy. Getting to form these young minds, it's amazing."

"It sounds great. How long have you been teaching?" Steve questioned.

"Just two years on my own, but I did student teaching before that." Clara grinned. "It's been so much fun, really."

"That's wonderful. How did your watermelon experiment go?" she lit up at the question.

"Oh, we went out to the playground in the snow and everyone took turns putting on a rubber band. It took almost five hundred bands! The kids had a blast, and then we went inside and had some watermelon for a snack." she was absolutely shining as she spoke. He could probably watch her talk about her kids for hours.

"I'm sure it was delicious. We never did anything like that when I was a kid." he laughed and shook his head. They chatted a bit more about the kids until the oven timer went off. Clara quickly pulled it from the oven and slid it onto the table. She set down a plate for each of them and a fork as well, and as they tucked into their food it was quiet.

"What do you do for fun?" she asked him.

"Uh," he struggled to find an answer. "Mostly I've just been focused on catching up."

"What's your favorite thing about being in the now?" she grinned, lightening the mood.

"Hard to say." he furrowed his brows. "Probably the food." he nodded down to his plate. "This is delicious by the way."

"Thank you, it was my grandma's recipe. My grandpa fought in World War Two, you know." she mentioned. "He passed away a few years after my gram."

"Sorry to hear that." he said to her.

"It's alright." she shook her head. "He wasn't the same without her. All he wanted was to be with her again."

"Sounds like my folks." he chuckled. "My mom was so bright with my dad, and when he passed she lost a bit of that spark." she placed her hand over his again, a wash of warmth covering his body. He felt comforted by the action more than anything she could have said would. She pulled away after a minute, and they finished the meal in silence.

"I'm surprised there were no leftovers." she laughed.

"Sorry." he flushed.

"It's no problem! I'm glad you liked it." she beamed at him. "Would you like an after dinner drink?" she pulled a bottle of wine from her refrigerator. "I hope white is okay, I hate red."

"Anything's fine." he took the bottle from her, pulling his swiss army knife from his pocket and quickly uncorking the bottle.

"We have electric corkscrews now, you know." she giggled. "But somehow you were still faster than I've ever been with technology on my side." she frowned, pulling open the cabinet with her wine glasses in them. She stretched up to the top shelf, causing her blouse to ride up and expose the small of her back. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to look away from her backside. She was his friendly neighbor for God's sake, he needed to be respectful.

"Here," he poured their glasses. "Thank you for the meal." he sipped his wine. It was surprisingly sweet.

"Cheers, Captain." she giggled, but her face suddenly dropped. "Oh my god, that was so insensitive, I'm so sorry!"

"Somehow, I don't mind it when you say it." he smiled. They chatted a bit more until they'd finished their glasses. He helped her recork the bottle, and she walked him to her door. "What are you doing tomorrow?" Steve asked.

"I wasn't planning on much." she confessed.

"Would you like to do something?" his throat tightened as he asked. Her eyes widened, and she blinked a few times before replying.

"I'd love to." she beamed.

"I'll pick you up around six?" Steve questioned.

"Sounds perfect." her grin seemed to widen.

"It's a date then. Goodnight, Clara." he stepped out of the apartment.

"Night Steve." she said softly, closing the door behind him.

**This chapter was a bit longer, hopefully better too. The story might be going a bit fast with the romance, but the focus is mainly going to be on the pairing, not so much of the action/fighting. I'll write during where each arc starts to help with some confusion**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three :**

Clara was nearly squealing with excitement as she prepared to go out. She hadn't been on a date in years, not since she was in college. You don't really meet many single men as a third grade teacher. She picked out a tan belted sweater dress. She slipped on some sheer tights and a pair of black ankle boots to match her black peacoat. She glanced in the mirror again, checking to make sure her eyeliner hadn't smudged. She dabbed on a bit more lipgloss and fluffed her curls, trying to look more presentable than usual. As the clock switched from 5:59 to 6, there was a knock on the door. He was extremely punctual. Clara took one last deep breath before opening her door.

"Hello Steve." she grinned to him, appraising his outfit. Dark jeans hugged his legs, and he wore his brown leather jacket again over a navy sweater. He looked amazing, like usual.

"You look great. Better than great." Steve stammered.

"So do you." she smiled. He was so shy, it was adorable. It was surprising that he was bold enough to ask her out, but she really wasn't complaining. "What's on the agenda?" she asked.

"I was thinking dinner to start. Maybe we could do some sightseeing after?" he questioned.

"Sounds great to me." she picked up her purse and followed him out the door. They made it down to the street when she spotted the bike parked against the curb. "You drive a motorcycle?" her heart leapt into her throat.

"Yes, I don't really know how to drive a car." he rubbed his neck sheepishly.

"I've never been on a motorcycle. Have you ever crashed?" she asked.

"Never." he shook his head.

"That's good to know." she smiled, stepping closer. He handed her a helmet, pulling his own on. She stuck hers on her head. "I hope this doesn't give me helmet hair." she joked.

"I wouldn't mind it." Steve shrugged with a grin. Her stomach fluttered when he smiled. Damn, she had it bad for him. She felt like a teenager again as she climbed onto the bike behind him.

"Don't go too fast." she warned him.

"Wouldn't dream of it." he chuckled. "Hold on tight, I don't want to lose you." she wrapped her arms around him as tight as she could. He was nearly rock solid. She felt like a pervert, she could feel his muscles underneath his clothes. Her face flushed and she was glad that the helmet covered it. He revved the engine once before taking off, slow enough not to startle her. They didn't drive long, just a few blocks down the street. Steve pulled over and parked, climbing off quickly and then helping Clara off. She popped the helmet off, shaking out her hair. "See, you look great. No helmet hair in sight." he chuckled.

"Small miracles." she sighed in relief before looking up at the restaurant. "Oh, I love this place!" she smiled at the bistro. "They have amazing food."

"I've only been here once for a meeting." Steve shrugged. He held out his arm for her to take, like a true gentleman. They walked in and the hostess greeted them.

"Do you have a reservation?" she smiled at them.

"Yes, it's under 'Rogers'." he nodded.

"Oh of course, right this way Mr. Rogers." her spine straightened as she led them to the back of the restaurant. There was a private corner with two large bay windows that looked out over the city. Candles and flowers were arranged at the table, and Steve pulled her chair out for her before taking his own seat.

"I hope this is alright." he looked at her with a concerned expression.

"Oh, this is fine with me. Better than fine. Look at the view! I've never sat over here, it must be for important guests only." she gazed out the window with an awed expression.

"I guess so." he chuckled, feeling a bit nervous. Their waiter came over to give them some menus and take their drink orders.

"What do you think you're in the mood for? I'm pretty interested in the zucchini pesto." she looked over the menu.

"I don't know what that is." he smiled sheepishly. She grinned and explained some of the dishes to me, and he settled on the filet mignon. Once they placed their orders they began to chat a bit more.

"What was your favorite song before the, well, incident?" Clara asked.

"Well, I wasn't big into music. I did enjoy Nat King Cole, though." he smiled fondly at the memory.

"Oh, he has a wonderful voice." she sighed, sipping her wine. "What were you big into? Before the war." she clarified.

"I loved art, actually." his cheeks pinked.

"Really? That's wonderful! Do you still do that?" Clara's eyes sparkled.

"I haven't had much time to focus on it since I woke up." he looked down.

"I think it would be wonderful if you started again." a warm smile came over her features.

"Maybe I will." Steve chuckled, taking a sip of his beer. Their food came out fairly quickly, probably because Steve was a high profile guest, but Clara certainly wasn't complaining.

"This is really good." she smiled after her first few bites.

"I think I prefer your cooking, the meal last night was delicious." her face burned at his confession.

"You don't have to butter me up." she laughed, taking another bite.

"I'm serious, I appreciate it very much. I'm not much of a cook myself. It was nice having someone around who actually knew what they were doing." Steve chuckled.

"We can do it again sometime soon." she offered.

"I'd like that." their meal continued with some more chatter, with a lot more blushing from Clara as the waiter kept filling her wine.

"I can't tell how much I've drank." she whispered loudly. "I haven't emptied my cup once, but he keeps sneaking me more." her eyes were a tiny bit glassy as she took another sip.

"I think we should get some water in you, here." he pushed her water glass towards her, hoping she would sober up soon. He hadn't kept track of how much she drank and felt a little bad. He sometimes forgot that other people got drunk. "You feel a little buzzed?"

"I feel a lot buzzed, but don't tell anyone." she shushed him loudly. He couldn't hide his amusement.

"Maybe some fresh air will do you good." he suggested. The waiter came over with the bill at his request.

"Here, use my card." she fumbled for her wallet.

"No, Clara, that's alright. It's my treat."

"You don't have to pay for me, Steve." she rolled her eyes.

"I want to." he shrugged. She huffed as he handed over his S.H.I.E.L.D. issued card. She felt a little woozy as he helped her to her feet.

"Oh god, I'm really drunk aren't I?" she bit her lip, trying not to stumble over her feet.

"I've got you, don't worry." he pocketed his wallet and made sure she had her purse, then led her outside. She clutched his arm, appreciating the way it felt in her hands. She tried to subtly squeeze the muscle, but tripped a little as her focus shifted from walking. "Woah, you okay there?" he steadied her, putting his hands on her hips.

"Hmm, just peachy." she grinned.

"Let's take a little walk to sober you up." he chuckled, leading her to the next building over. She peered up at the sign, brightening when she read the words.

"Oh, an art gallery! Can we go in?" she turned, giving him a pleading look.

"Anything you want." he smiled at her.

"You can't give me that much power, it'll all go to my head!" she squealed, tugging him inside. They wandered around, Steve veering her away from the nude portraits and towards the fruit bowls. "Oh, these are pretty." she cooed at a painting of a vase full of chrysanthemums.

"Yeah, they are." Steve admitted.

"I love flowers." she sighed, leaning against him. "They're so expensive though, it's hard to justify buying them just because."

"Flowers are expensive now?" his eyebrows shot up.

"So expensive. Well, roses for sure. Other ones aren't too terrible." she scrunched up her face in thought.

"What are your favorite flowers?" he asked, wanting to know for future reference.

"Oh, tiger lilies." she sighed dreamily. "They're so beautiful."

"Yeah, they definitely are." he smiled down at her. They walked around the gallery for a bit longer until she no longer stumbled. "I don't know if I told you already, but you look really swell tonight. Beautiful, I mean."

"Say I look swell again." she grinned.

"You look swell." he echoed, handing her the helmet.

"I like that. You look pretty swell yourself." she was shining straight at him again and he almost melted in her light.

"Alright, hang on tight." he warned her. He could feel her gently wrap her arms around him, and he pulled them tighter. "I said tight, okay?" he was worried, knowing she wasn't fully sober.

"Yeah, I heard you." she mumbled into his back. She pressed up tightly, and he could feel her against his back. He swallowed hard, carefully maneuvering the bike through the streets and back to their building. She gave a loud whoop as he sped up. He found a parking spot and helped her hop onto the sidewalk.

"You feeling alright?" he asked as she took her helmet on.

"Yeah, I feel great! The motorcycle is actually kinda fun." she turned around to appraise the bike sitting against the curb.

"Glad you think so." she took his arm again and he walked her up the stairs and to her door.

"I had tons of fun tonight." she beamed at him.

"I did too." he smiled back. Her stomach fluttered when he smiled at her like that.

"Do you want to come over for dinner on Wednesday?" she blurted out. His smile widened.

"I'd love to."

"Okay, be over at 5:30 sharp." she pursed her mouth in a way that made him feel funny.

"Yes ma'am." he grinned.

"Goodnight, Steve." she stepped towards him, and oh god he thought he would pass out if she kissed him right now. Instead she pressed her lips to his cheek.

"Goodnight." he echoed as she stepped back, closing the door softly between them.

Damn, he had it bad.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four:**

Wednesday got there too soon. Steve rushed out of a conference with Phil and Nat to run to the flower stand he passed on his way to work.

"Hello sir." the old man inside smiled. "What can I get for you?"

"Do you have any tiger lilies here?" he asked.

"Yes, of course." he pulled a bucket up with a few bouquets of tiger lilies in them. "A whole bouquet or just a few?"

"Bouquet please." Steve paid the man and tucked the flowers under his arm, riding back to his apartment. He didn't notice he had a tail during the exchange, and didn't realize they were following him until they parked right behind him.

"What are you doing with those?" Natasha asked.

"Nat, what are you doing here?" he froze.

"I asked you first." she crossed her arms.

"I'm just-they're just for, well, they're for my neighbor." he rubbed the back of his neck.

"You have a girlfriend?" she raised her eyebrows.

"No! No, this will only be our second date." Steve flushed.

"So you want her to be your girlfriend." she smirked.

"Oh my god." he groaned, putting his face in his free hand. "What do you want from me, Nat?"

"I want details. What's her name?"

"Clara." Steve muttered.

"Is she pretty?"

"Natasha!" he exclaimed.

"Well?" she cocked her hip.

"Yes! She's very beautiful." he sighed.

"What does she do?" she peered up at the average looking building.

"She's a third grade teacher. Nat, I know you can just find this stuff out on your own, why are you pestering me?"

"It's fun to make you squirm." she shrugged, swinging her leg back over her bike. "Let me know when you two start 'going steady'." she mocked him. "It's gonna be so sweet I'll probably barf."

"Thanks Nat." Steve said flatly as she drove off. He sighed, looking down at the flowers in his hand and then at his watch. He had about fifteen minutes before she was expecting him, so he decided to freshen up and change. Once he put on a fresh shirt and combed his hair again, he put on some cologne and grabbed his flowers again. He'd leave the apartment in two minutes and be there at 5:30 on the dot. As soon as he knocked she opened the door with her sweet smile.

"Hey Steve, come on in!" she stepped aside to let him in.

"Hey, Richard." he greeted the cat that was snoozing on the back of the couch. "Oh, these are for you." he handed her the flowers.

"Oh my god! Wait, did I tell you these were my favorites?" she pulled them from his hands and smelled them. "They're gorgeous! Wow!" she rushed over to the sink, pulling a crystal vase from the cabinet underneath and filled it from the tap.

"You mentioned you loved them at the gallery." he smiled shyly.

"Geez, Steve Rogers you're really laying it on thick!" she laughed as she placed the arrangement on the counter. "Oh wow, they are gorgeous though. I can't remember the last time I got flowers from someone who wasn't my dad." she chuckled.

"Is that good or bad?"

"Good. Very good. You get brownie points." she beamed at him again.

"Brownie points?" he asked.

"It means you did good." she waved his question off. "Dinner should be ready in about ten minutes, I just put the rice in. We're having shrimp etouffee, it's a cajun dish."

"It smells good." he smiled.

"How was your day? I assume you went to work." she began to pull bowls and glasses out.

"It was pretty boring. Just meetings and training." he uncorked the wine for her again. "How about yours?"

"Oh, the kids were wild today." she gushed with a grin. "We have a field trip to the history museum tomorrow, and they're all so excited, they couldn't calm down."

"A bunch of kids excited about history, huh?" he quirked an eyebrow.

"I think they're just excited about not having classes." she giggled.

"That sounds about right." he sipped from his glass. "I should probably go there one day, I might learn a thing or two."

"Oh, they have a lot of wonderful stuff on exhibit there, it's very educational." she nodded to him.

"I've never been much of a history buff, but with all the books I'm trying to read you would think differently." Steve sighed.

"I understand. There's a lot to catch up on. I could help you some time, if you'd like? I'm no expert but I do have a few sections that I teach." she looked at him hopefully.

"I'd like that." he grinned, and she nearly swooned at the look in his eyes.

"I think the rice is done, I'll get everything ready." she rushed to her feet, hurrying over to the stove top. She put everything on the table and started to serve him a bowl.

"This is good." he mentioned after his first bite.

"I thought I'd try something new." she confessed as she began to eat. "What's your favorite food?"

"Well, it's not really a food, more like dessert. I'd eat apple pie for every meal if I could." he flushed.

"Oh, I love apple pie!" she gushed. "There's a diner around her that has the best crust, it's right around the corner."

"We should go sometime." he mentioned.

"Definitely." she laughed. "Is this too spicy? Not spicy enough?"

"It's just right, actually." just like her. His ears turned red at the thought. "I meant it the other night, you are a great cook."

"Oh, thank you." she laughed. "When my… mom died, I ended up cooking for my dad and I. So I had to figure out how to make good tasting food, otherwise we would have had takeout for every meal." a nostalgic smile passed over her lips.

"Do you still see your dad?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah, he lives a few hours away so I go to visit about once a month." she nodded vigorously. "He yells at me for not coming more, but I think he secretly likes being a hermit. He has this cabin on a lake and he just goes out fishing all day. He loves nature and all of that stuff, I don't think he's been into town for more than groceries in years."

"Sounds lonely." Steve confessed.

"I think it's perfect for him." she grinned. She told him a bit more about her childhood with her father. "He thought I was wild, honestly. I would swing in the trees and scream like a monkey!" she laughed. He was nearly tearing up at the thought he was laughing so hard.

"I was never like that, I was always inside." he told her. "I was kind of a sickly kid, so I was usually in my room drawing."

"Have you started sketching again?" she asked eagerly.

"A bit." he sighed. "Not as much time on my hands as I'd like there to be, though."

"I understand. I love to read, but I haven't picked up a book in months. I've been working on lessons for the kids."

"I get the feeling." he smiled softly.

"So, the serum makes you eat a lot, right?" she asked.

"And other things." he chuckled. "I basically got bulked up overnight, got a whole lot taller, stronger, faster. I have a really fast metabolism so I have to take in a lot more calories, and since it all gets burned up so fast I can't get drunk."

"You can't!" she gasped. "So the other night you were completely sober when I made a fool of myself!" Clara buried her face in her hands, groaning.

"Basically." Steve gave her a cheeky grin.

"Well, that's embarrassing."

"I guess I understand that your dad thought you were a wild kid." he chuckled.

"Oh you hush up. I was not that bad." her face scrunched up adorably.

"What are you doing Saturday afternoon?" he asked.

"I was just planning on getting some Saint Patrick's Day decorations for the classroom. Why?" she smiled.

"Would you like to get lunch with me? At the diner, with the great apple pie you boasted about."

"Of course." her grin widened.

"Great, should we go around eleven thirty?"

"Sounds like a plan. Oh, I just realized I don't have your cell number." she frowned, digging into her pocket for her phone.

"Uh, you can have mine, but I don't really have the hang of this cell phone thing yet." he confessed with a sheepish smile.

"Oh, here, I'll help you out." she moved her seat closer to his and began pressing buttons. She leaned against him as she showed him what to do to text and call her. "Here, let's practice." she handed him the phone.

"Practice?" he furrowed his eyebrows.

"Yeah, text me." she smiled encouragingly.

"W-what do I say?" he stared down at the screen.

"Anything." she shrugged. "Say what you're thinking, or just say 'hi'."

"Okay." Steve squinted down at the keyboard. Her phone lit up with a message a few seconds after. She laughed as she read the text.

"'Apple Pie'?" she giggled.

"Just reminding you about Saturday." he smiled, but his ears burned red.

"As if I'd forget." she scoffed, her own cheeks going pink.

"I should probably get going, you've got to rest up before your field trip." Steve glanced at his watch, seeing he'd been there for two hours at least.

"Thanks for coming over." she walked him to the door again. "It's fun to have someone to eat dinner with."

"You're telling me." he sighed.

"Um. So Saturday?" she glanced up at him, biting her lip.

"Saturday. Eleven thirty."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." she smiled, edging closer. He nervously leaned down and she kissed his cheek again, her lips lingering on the slight stubble across his cheekbone.

"Goodnight, Clara." his cheek tingled from her lips.

"Goodnight, Steve." she grinned up at him before softly shutting the door.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five:**

Saturday came faster than either was prepared for. Steve came to pick her up at her door again, and she opened it as soon as he knocked again.

"Good morning." she chirped out. She wore fitted blue jeans with brown boots and her tan peacoat.

"Morning." he nodded back to her as she stepped out of her apartment, locking the door behind her.

"How was the field trip?" he asked.

"Oh, the kids had a blast. There was some disturbance near the museum, though, and Iron Man passed us, they were so excited to see a superhero." she chuckled. "I wasn't quite so starstruck though. Mr. Stark isn't quite the selfless celebrity the kids seem to think he is."

"You're telling me." he commented dryly.

"Are you friends?" she asked.

"We've met." he sighed as they walked down to the corner of the street, and she pointed out the diner to him.

"Here, it's just across the street." she grabbed his hand and pulled him through the crosswalk. He felt his throat tighten as her fingers laced through his. Her hand was so soft and small, it made his heart ache.

"'Pauly's'." he read off the sign. "Do you know Pauly?"

"No," she laughed. "But I know he makes great pie." he squeezed her hand when she laughed. The two walked inside and sat in a booth. He had to let her hand go, but being able to see her smile was worth it. Their waitress quickly came to take their order and drop off some water.

"This place seems homey." Steve mentioned, glancing around at the dark wood countertops and red vinyl benches.

"Yeah, I like the decor." she nodded. "How was work this week?"

"Uneventful." he smiled. She huffed, her brown curls bouncing as she moved.

"Sounds boring."

"Boring is good in my line of work." he reminded her.

"Yeah, yeah. Still doesn't sound like anything I'd want to be doing." she scrunched up her face. She shrugged off her coat to reveal a low-cut sweater. Steve had never seen her wear a shirt like that before. It wasn't indecent, but it was hard not to look.

"It's not all bad." he shrugged, averting his eyes.

"Do you get to travel for work?" she leaned forward with a twinkle in her eye. It was like she knew he was having difficulty not looking at her, well, decolletage.

"Sometimes?" it came out as a question. He cleared his throat. "Well, if I have to go to another country or state for any reason, I guess that's traveling."

"That sounds fun. The farthest place I've ever been is DC, where my dad lives."

"Oh, he's in DC?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, that's where I grew up actually. I came here for college and then I never moved back." she smiled sadly. "There were more opportunities for work here, so I suppose it made sense at the time. But I miss him." she shrugged.

"At least he's close enough to visit." Steve offered. She smiled at him, coming back to herself. Steve smiled back, all pearly whites and sincere blue eyes. It was almost enough to make her melt. They were quiet for a moment, but the waitress appeared suddenly to bring over their food, breaking the silence.

"Ooh, that looks good." she smiled at the reuben he'd ordered.

"So does yours." he nodded at her own burger.

"Well, let's dig in so we can get some pie!" Clara laughed. They made small talk, focusing on things like the weather.

"Any field trips this week?" Steve asked after they ordered their pie.

"Actually we're going to the post office on Monday to learn how the system works." she mentioned.

"Really?" he furrowed his eyebrows. "That actually sounds worse than the history museum." he commented as the waitress gave them their pies.

"It does not!" she gasped. "It's actually very interesting! People have to sort the mail by zip code… and then… okay it isn't that interesting." she confessed meekly, stabbing her fork into her pie. Steve laughed, following suit.

"Oh, this is good." his eyebrows shot up.

"I told you." she teased, taking a bite. "It's probably one of my favorite places to get pie."

"I'd believe it." he grinned.

"I think you can buy a whole pie here too, but don't quote me. Well, they'd probably just give it to you. The Star Spangled Man with a Plan needs his apple pie." she snorted out a laugh, causing her to cover her mouth again.

"Why do you always do that?" he frowned.

"Do what?" she asked.

"Cover your mouth after you laugh like that." he gestured at her hand.

"It's embarrassing!" her face heated. "I hate it when I snort like that, I feel like a pig."

"A pig!" he laughed. "There's not a chance you'd be anything like a pig. You have a swell laugh, don't be embarrassed."

"Oh, so I'm swell again." she smirked at him.

"Sorry." he chuckled. "I forget language has changed a bit."

"Don't be sorry, I like it when you call me swell. Makes me feel special." her smile softened.

"Well, you're really special, so I'm glad." a smile tugged on his own lips. "You said you wanted to go shopping after this?" he pulled out his wallet, putting some cash on the table.

"Oh, I didn't mean you had to come with me." she shook her head. "I just planned to get stuff for the classroom."

"I don't mind. You're gonna need someone to carry your bags anyways." he pointed out.

"I'm strong enough to carry my own bags." she huffed.

"I figured that, but are you coordinated enough?" he raised one eyebrow as he stood, helping her stand from her side of the booth.

"Low blow, Rogers." she scrunched her face again, making him smile.

"Shall we?" he offered his hand to her, and she grinned as she took it.

"We shall." she laughed as they walked hand and hand out of the restaurant.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: Avengers**

Clara couldn't tell if the twisting in her stomach was from butterflies or worry. It had been hours since Steve had run off, leaving her at the main floor of their apartment. They had just gotten back from the store, and he carried her bags like he'd promised. Then his phone rang, and the news must have been bad. Really bad, judging from how he looked when he heard what had happened.

"Is everything alright?" she asked when he hung up.

"I've gotta go, I'm so sorry." he shook his head, handing her bags over.

"What's going on? Is there trouble somewhere?" she scanned his face for any hints, but his expression had hardened as soon as he answered the phone.

"I'm gonna have to leave the country for this one." he sighed, stepping closer. "I'm sorry, have fun on your field trip on Monday."

"Will you call me later? I-I just want to make sure you're safe." she frowned, looking at his feet.

"Of course I'll be safe. I'll call you when everything's all clear." he nodded. He started to turn, but hesitated.

"Be careful, okay?" she said softly. The way she was looking at him, that tender care in her eyes, it was too much for him. He took a few swift steps forward before grabbing her face and kissing her, hard. Her knees had turned to jelly as she dropped her craft bags, wrapping her arms around him and curling her fingers against the back of his neck. The kiss stopped too soon for her liking, but she couldn't stop the grin from appearing. "Took you long enough, Cap." she teased. Steve had a goofy smile on his face.

"Should I have done it sooner?"

"Definitely. Now go, and stay safe, okay?" she gestured towards the door. He nodded, the grin still lighting up his face as he jogged out the door.

Almost nine hours later and she still had no call from him. She turned on the news as soon as she had gotten home, and what she saw wasn't great. There was a crazy alien in Germany, and when Steve showed up on the screen she almost screamed. The news coverage stopped soon after Iron Man showed up and they apprehended the guy, but she was still worried. She wasn't sure if she should go to sleep or not, so she turned her ringer on just in case she did fall asleep. It was nearly one in the morning, so maybe she should just go to bed. She put on her pajamas and got in bed, Richard next to her.

"You think he's okay, Richie?" she asked quietly as she scratched behind his ears. He purred into her leg, nuzzling closer. When her phone did ring, she jumped so high Richard bolted across the room. "Sorry, buddy." she muttered as she grabbed the cell from her nightstand. "Hello?" she answered, turning on the lamp.

"Hey, Clara." Steve's voice came through.

"Are you alright? How is everything?" she demanded.

"I'm just fine, don't worry. There was a little scuffle but it looks like everything's under control for now." he sighed through the speaker. She could tell how weary he sounded.

"I saw everything on the news, that alien guy is crazy. It was scary to watch you out there with him." she confessed, laying back onto her pillows.

"I can hold my own, don't worry." he chuckled.

"I know, but still. Are you on your way back here, then?" Clara asked.

"I can't really tell you that right now." Steve sighed. "I'm not even sure where we're going if I'm being honest."

"Hopefully you can come back soon." she yawned.

"Am I keeping you up? Oh, geez, its past midnight there. You should sleep, Clara." his voice crackled through the phone.

"I couldn't sleep until I made sure you were alright." she sighed.

"I'm a little worse for wear, but I'm definitely in good enough condition for you to get a good night's rest." she could tell he was smiling through the phone.

"Are you going to get some rest? You probably need it more than I do." she frowned.

"I will after I get some things settled, don't worry."

"Okay. Sweet dreams, Steve." Clara yawned again.

"Sweet dreams." he echoed.

"Did you hang up?" she asked.

"No." he chuckled.

"Me either. Okay, goodnight for real this time."

"Goodnight." they both clicked the red button.

"What are you doing to me, Steve?" she groaned as she felt more butterflies fill her stomach.

**This one was pretty short, sorry, it's mostly a filler/introduction to the Avengers story arc. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: Avengers**

Clara knew she was screwed when the first few crashes happened in front of them. Their bus ride to the post office was not getting off to a great start.

When the aliens started coming out, that was a different story. The kids were terrified and the bus driver was unconscious, and she had no idea what she could do. The buildings on either side were crumbling, and running across a battlefield with a fifty nine year olds was not on the agenda. One of those alien things tried prying the door open, but Clara would _not_ let it get inside the bus with her kids. She flung the doors open, putting as much strength behind it as she could, and the thing went skidding backwards on the cracked road. A broken piece of rebar caught her eye, and her softball instincts kicked in as she picked it up and cracked it across the things head. It sneered at her, and she swung it again, successfully knocking it out.

"Yeah, Miss Clara!" the kids whooped through the windows.

"Everyone sit down in your seats and stay with your buddies!" she scolded them, wanting them to stay together and safe.

Two more of the creatures showed up, probably wanting revenge for their friend, and she hit both as hard as she could, ripping her skirt up her thigh in the process. One went down, and the other staggered after her again. She got ready to swing again when a blur of red, white and blue took it down.

"Clara!" she heard a shout. Steve appeared next to her, grabbing her by the shoulders. He was in his full Captain America getup, and he looked angry. "What the hell are you doing out here?!"

"My kids are on the bus!" she motioned over to the fifty or so nine year olds that he seemed to have missed.

"Rogers, what's going on?" Natasha appeared at his side. Clara blinked at the woman, she had gorgeous red hair and a killer black catsuit.

"Nat, can you help Clara get the kids on the bus to one of the shelters?" he asked, pulling his shield out from where it was stuck in the head of the alien. "Clara, do not, I repeat _do not_ put yourself into any dangerous situation again."

"You wanted me to let them get on the bus and eat my kids?!"

"They aren't trying to eat us, just kill us." Natasha retorted.

"We can talk about this later. Just, get the kids to safety, and do not come outside again. You hear me?" Steve demanded. "It's too dangerous out here."

"Aye, aye, captain." Clara threw the rebar aside with a loud _clang_. "Okay, everyone! Please line up with your buddies and hold hands!" she called into the bus. The gaggle of kids rushed out to follow her instructions.

"That's impressive, they listen better than half my soldiers." Natasha commented. "Steve, we've got it from here, quit ogling your girlfriend's gams." she joked.

"I'm not-" he was cut off as something exploded up the block.

"Bye Steve, call me later!" Clara kissed his cheek and shooed the kids to the opposite side of the bus. "So, Natasha, right? We have an issue with the bus driver." she began to explain his unconsciousness.

"I'll get him." Natasha hopped on the bus and back off a moment later. The driver was over her shoulder, and Clara balked at her strength.

"Are you alright, do you need help?" she asked.

"I'm fine, just follow me, and if anything comes at us, kick it as hard as you can."

"Don't kick anything." Clara followed up, tailing behind the kids and Natasha, making sure no one got lost. At one point there was another explosion behind them, and they rushed even faster to the safe spot. Once they got there, Natasha set their bus driver down and turned towards Clara.

"Stay here and don't leave until the police say you can." she ordered.

"Everyone say thank you to Miss Natasha." Clara prodded. A large chorus of 'thank you's came from her group. Natasha let half a smile pass over her lips before hardening her expression again. She quickly left the area, running back out into the battle, taking out four more of the creatures before she was out of eyesight.

"Why can't we ever go visit the Avengers instead of the post office?" a little girl asked. The rest of the kids shouted their agreement.

"Well, the post office lets the school come to see them." she said carefully.

"So? You're dating Captain America!" another girl asked, causing Clara's face to burn.

"You guys, it's really not appropriate for me to use my friends to meet celebrities." she tried to explain.

"Please, Miss Clara!" a boy begged. "I want to meet Iron Man so bad!"

"I think the heroes are a bit busy right now. Their jobs are very important, but very dangerous, so it would not be alright to go visit them when they are working." the kids all muttered to themselves.

"Do we still have to go to the post office?" one asked.

"Well, I think we should give it another go once everything gets fixed up, right?" she thought aloud.

They all groaned.

….

Clara was asleep late that night when she heard a soft knock on her door. She slowly sat up when the knock came again, and she yawned before shrugging on her pink robe and shuffled over to the door. She peeked through the peephole and saw the top of Steve's head.

"Oh shit." she whispered, looking in her mirror to see if she looked alright. She winced at the dark circles under her eyes and the cockatiel her hair was trying to be. She cracked the door open, giving him a tired smile.

"Oh geez, did I wake you? I didn't realize the time." Steve frowned down at his watch, wincing as he realized it was well past midnight.

"It's alright, I'm glad you did. Here, come in, do you want some tea or anything?" she asked.

"No, I'm fine. I just wanted to see you." he admitted as she closed the door behind him. He thought she looked cute, all rumpled and sleepy. It made his heart ache a little bit. She led him over to the couch and sat on the opposite end as he was, turning to face him.

"I'm glad you're alright." she spoke first.

"I should be saying that to you." he sighed, shaking his head and drooping back into the cushion. "I still can't believe you went out there like that."

"Me either. I kind of realized how crazy it was after we were out of the streets." she chuckled. He looked so tired, his eyelids drooping. She felt hers beginning to fall as well.

"Do you want me to go?" he asked softly as she settled further into the couch. She hummed before answering.

"I don't want to be alone right now." Clara whispered. He reached his hand out, intertwining his fingers with hers. They didn't speak after that, they just basked in each other's comfort.

They both fell asleep and didn't move until six the next morning when Clara's cell phone rang. She groaned, fumbling around on the coffee table to grab it. She huffed out a victorious grunt when she found it, pressing it to her ear.

"Hullo?" she mumbled, eyes still closed. "Mhm, mhm." Steve heard her say to whatever the person on the other side was telling her. "Okay, thanks." she ended the conversation and dropped the phone behind her, snuggling closer into the couch cushions. Her phone thudded into the carpet and she sighed again.

"Who was that?" Steve whispered.

"The principal. School is cancelled for today." she replied, burrowing her face further into his chest. She suddenly gasped and shot up, knocking her head into his chin. "Ouch!" she winced, rubbing the spot.

"You okay?" he sat up, checking out the spot on her forehead that was beginning to turn red.

"Yeah, it's fine. You just have a hard head." she joked, now fully awake. "I didn't realize you were still here until just now."

"I guess I never woke up to leave last night." he glanced down at his watch, but was happy when she settled between his legs facing him. "I hope it's okay."

"It's fine," she smiled before her face dropped and she vaulted off the couch. "Oh my gosh, I need to go brush my teeth!" she ran into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her. She almost screamed at her reflection. As quickly as possible she tried to tame her wild, frizzed up hair and wash her face. She brushed her teeth viciously, making sure she caught every corner. She emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, and grinned as she saw Steve re-entering her apartment.

"I figured I'd change and do the same." he smiled sheepishly. "Do you want breakfast?" Steve asked quickly.

"Did you want to go out? It's kind of early." she frowned at the clock on her microwave.

"No, I meant I could cook." he offered. She blinked at him for a second.

"Captain America cooking me breakfast?" she grinned. "Aren't I the luckiest girl in the world."

"Well if you're gonna be like that about it." he flushed, a teasing grin spreading across his face. "Maybe I take back my offer."

"You wouldn't dare." she gasped.

"You're right, I wouldn't." he walked over to her fridge, pulling it open to examine the contents. "Do you like pancakes?" he asked, looking at the syrup.

"I love pancakes." Clara smiled, walking over. "I have bacon in here too, and eggs."

"Go sit down." he nudged her away from the kitchen. "I can do it on my own."

"Are you sure you don't want help?" she frowned at him.

"Yes, this is something that I'm actually good at." she rolled her eyes at him.

"Fine, fine." she huffed. "So, can you tell me anything about what happened this weekend? The aliens are all gone, right?"

"Yeah, they should have left back to their home a few hours ago." he frowned as he placed the bacon on a foil-lined tray.

"That's crazy." she huffed. "I mean, I know there was the whole robot alien thing in New Mexico last year, but an invasion in New York? What did they want?" she tightened the belt of her robe.

"I can't really get into specifics, but they wanted to take over." he sighed. "At least Thor was able to contain him and bring him back."

"You got to meet Thor? I saw him on the news, he's huge." she leaned forward excitedly.

"He's not that bad of a guy." Steve confessed. "You'd like him, I think."

"Oh, I wondered, do you always work with Natasha?" she asked.

"Well, we team up sometimes. But she's been there a lot longer than I have."

"She's really nice. The kids loved her, they were so excited to see superheroes in action. They thought it was way better than the post office." she chuckled.

"Anything would be better than the post office." he replied dryly.

"You should stop hating, who do you think delivers your mail?" she scolded.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." he chuckled. "But it was dangerous for them, though." Steve frowned again as he began beating together some eggs.

"It's a miracle none of them got hurt." Clara sighed. "I was freaking out the whole time, if you couldn't tell."

"Actually, you seemed pretty calm to me." he raised his eyebrows. "You really knew how to use that rebar."

"Well, I was captain of the girls softball team in high school." she mimed swinging a bat.

"No kidding." he laughed, turning around. "That'd be a sight I'd love to see."

"Some skills just come in handy, I guess." she shrugged with a grin.

"It was impressive." he nodded, stepping closer to her chair. "You've got moxie, I'll give you that." he pulled her stool closer to him and leaned down, pressing his lips against hers. She felt warm and lightheaded, butterflies going wild in her stomach. She gripped his shirt to pull him further down as she arched upwards, and he tilted her chin into a more comfortable position.

"Steve," she gasped, breaking off for air. "The eggs." she reminded him gently.

"Thanks." he smiled, his ears a bit red. He stepped back to the stove and stirred the pan, scrambling them quickly. She watched him as he finished the eggs and started the pancakes, masterfully pouring the batter onto the pan. His arms flexed with concentration, and she felt her body burn at the thought of how they felt wrapped around her. She cupped her chin in her hand, leaning against the island as she walked him work. It was a nice view. He was all manly and tough and concentrated, but sometimes when he glanced at her his eyes twinkled mischievously, and he had such a boyish charm there was no wonder in her mind why she was so smitten with him. "Here you go." he placed a stack of pancakes in front of her, then went to pull the bacon from the oven.

"You're a good cook." she commented after her first few bites.

"Thank you, but I still think you're better." he confessed, sitting across from her with his own plate.

"Maybe for dinners, but you're better at breakfast." she compromised.

"You should make breakfast next time, and then we can compare." he mentioned, causing her to choke.

"Next time?" she coughed out as his face turned beet red. She began to laugh hysterically at the look he gave her.

"I didn't-I wouldn't-not like that!" he looked truly distressed at what he said, which only made her laugh harder.

"I know, Steve, I was just teasing you." she grinned at him, though his face was still red.

"I was raised to be a gentleman, I'd never insinuate something like that." he huffed, stuffing some eggs in his mouth.

"Yes, I know, men in the forties were superior. You know, if all the guys were like you, no straight woman would have anything to complain about." Clara smiled shyly at him as his face heated up even more.

"I'm sure that's not true." he shook his head. Clara frowned. Why was he so self-conscious about everything?

"I wouldn't complain, at least." she shrugged. "I don't mean to make you uncomfortable, but you're kind of a catch." she flushed at her bold statement. "I mean, a perfect gentleman with good hygiene, who is also very handsome and has a good job. Any girl would swoon at the thought of having you."

"I'm not-I'm not any of those things." he stammered, shaking his head.

"What do you mean? Do you secretly stink?" she teased. "Because I think you smell pretty good."

"No, I mean… that's all the serum." Steve ducked his head.

"So you're saying the serum changed your personality, your face, and your cleaning habits?" she raised her eyebrows.

"No." he confessed meekly. "But, I look much different now than I did before the procedure."

"I think if regular old Steve Rogers lived across from me, I'd have been just as intrigued as I am with how you are now." his face flushed again. No dame had ever been so candid with him before. He'd never really been attractive to women before the serum, and after, well, he'd been in the middle of the war. And Peggy… was complicated. He pushed the thought aside to focus on the woman in front of him. She was laying it all out for him, and he very much appreciated that she was being as patient as she was.

"I'm glad you like regular old Steve Rogers." he smiled.

"And I'm glad you like softball-star Clara Schmidt." she joked with a large grin.

"You know, I could use a sidekick." he smirked at her. Her face scrunched up in that adorable way of hers, those green eyes glimmering with mirth.

"I'm offended you don't think I could make it on my own!"

"Hey, I'm not saying you couldn't, but I think I'd be unstoppable with such a swell dame on my side."

"And that can be my superhero name, 'The Swell Dame'!" she laughed. "Oh, my kids would be ecstatic if I was a superhero."

"You know, if you'd be okay with it, I could come in and meet them." he offered. Her jaw dropped.

"They're gonna flip!" she squealed.

**Hopefully the length of this one made up for the last one!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight:**

"So everyone, I have a guest for you all coming in to talk about World War II." the entire class groaned at her announcement. "He actually fought in the war, so we all are going to be respectful to him and listen to everything that he has to say, alright?" she sternly looked them all down. "After recess he will be here, so I expect you all to be calm and polite, do you understand?" a chorus of 'Yes Miss Clara' came from her class, and she smiled triumphantly. "Okay, thank you all!" she called over the lunch bell. The kids all scrambled out of their desks and out the door. She chuckled, shaking her head as she gathered up papers.

She glanced at her reflection in the window, frowning as she tucked back a stray curl that had fallen out of her bun. She had made a bit of an effort that day, knowing Steve was going to be coming in. She had a brand new houndstooth pencil skirt and a black blouse on, as well as some low heeled black pumps. She fluffed her bangs a bit before heading out to the hallway and down to the office, where she was supposed to meet Steve to bring him to the classroom. Once she got there, she smiled at the scene in front of her. Steve was talking to the receptionist, and she obviously recognized him, as he was holding his shield. It looked good in his hands, and it looked like the receptionist thought so too by the way she was eyeing him up.

"Clara!" Steve smiled towards her as she opened the door, and her heart melted a little bit.

"Hey Steve, did you get here alright?" she briefly hugged him, and she saw a flash of jealousy on the receptionist's face. She felt a bit satisfied, even though she had never talked to Steve about being exclusive. She hoped he wasn't dating other women, but she tamped that thought down as he looked at her again.

"Yeah, your directions were great." he nodded, steering her out the door with a hand on the small of her back. "I also brought lunch, like I promised." he lifted a paper bag she seemed to have missed. She grinned and led him towards her classroom, and she pulled her chair out and had him sit on it.

"Here, I can fit better in a desk." she laughed as she pulled up one of the small desks towards him. He pulled some chinese containers out and opened them, offering her the lo mein while he took the chop suey.

"Should I be nervous to see the kids?" he chuckled.

"They might freak out, because I didn't tell them you were coming." she laughed.

"You didn't? What do they think they're doing after recess?" his eyes bugged out a bit.

"I just told them that there was a World War II veteran coming in." Clara shrugged. "They were really disappointed." she stole a piece of baby corn from his container.

"Thank you for the wonderful introduction." he commented dryly.

"I figure they'd try to skip lunch or something and find you if they knew you were coming." she shrugged. "It was in your best interest."

"Thank you for always thinking of me." he joked.

"I do, you know?" she smiled shyly. "You're always on my mind, Steve." he flushed. "Which kind of sucks, because then I worry a lot." she laughed.

"You don't have to worry." he shook his head. "I survived decades on ice, I can handle myself pretty well."

"You can say it all you want, but I still care." she blushed at her confession.

"Well, I feel like I should be the one worrying about you. Who was the one swinging a makeshift bat at aliens heads just a month ago?"

"Okay, you can't judge everything I do off of one crazy action that only happened because our city was under attack!" she poked her chopsticks into the air near his chest, but never actually touched him. "I'd never do anything like that otherwise." she sniffed.

"I believe you, Clara." he grinned, tossing his own chopsticks into his empty container. She threw their trash out and sat back at the small desk. "How was school today?" he chuckled.

"It's been alright. There was a vocab test this morning that everyone did good on, but on Monday there's a science test that they don't seem to be ready for. I might have to give them that day to review and push the test back." she sighed.

"I'm glad you want them to do well." Steve smiled. "I swear, some of my teachers wanted us to fail with the amount of tests they'd give."

"I had a few of those, too." Clara sighed. "I really didn't want to become one of them." she confessed with a frown.

"If you were my teacher, I'd make sure to always show up and do my homework. Heck, I'd probably be the teacher's pet." he teased.

"Oh, shush." she laughed.

"I'm really sweet on you, I can't help it." he gave her another mischievous smile.

"I like that saying. You should say it more." she grinned.

"I'll keep it in mind." even though they had been flirting, kissing, and going out together for nearly two months, they still weren't officially a couple. Clara understood that Steve may have had some reservations, since he came from a completely different time, but she felt like it had been long enough for anyone to ask someone out. Her thoughts were cut off as the end of recess bell rang, and she quickly stood.

"They'll be back here in a few minutes, let me just put this desk back." she pushed it into its row, leaning over slightly in the process. Steve's ears went red at the sight of her tight skirt stretching over her backside, but he quickly composed himself, standing up straight and walking over to the board, facing it and pretending to study the schedule that was up.

A few kids trickled in, and there were whispers and pointing as they all shuffled to their seats. They were all quietly in their seats, and once the bell rang again Clara stood in front of them.

"Alright everyone, please say hello to Mr. Rogers, our World War II veteran." she smiled at them all as he turned around.

"It's Captain America!" one boy yelled. Some of the kids started screaming and jumping out of their seats.

"Settle down!" Clara called over the ruckus. They all went quiet immediately and sat back down. "Mr. Rogers is going to tell us about what life was like during World War II. Mr. Rogers, you may begin." she gave him a polite smile, but her eyes were shining with adoration as she stepped back to let him have the floor.

"So, I was raised during the Great Depression…" Steve began, telling the story of the start of the war and up to where he was frozen in the ice. Clara then stepped forward to remind them about how the war ended after the United States bombed Japan, and gave them encouragement to keep the people who lost their lives in their thoughts, those on either side of the war.

"We can't forget about those who gave up everything just to fight for what they thought was right." she finished strongly, then turned back to Steve. "Does anyone have any questions for Mr. Rogers?" she asked, and almost everyone's hand shot up. "Okay, we'll start with Brennan." she called on a small boy.

"Are you a really good fighter?" he asked, curiosity in his eyes.

"I trained as a soldier in the army." he confirmed without sounding cocky.

"Donny?" she called on another boy.

"Can you run really fast?" he asked.

"Yes, the Super Soldier serum gave me that ability."

"Okay, um, Rhiannon?" she called on a slim blonde girl.

"Did you bring your shield?" she smiled, showing that she was missing her two front teeth.

"Yes." he nodded, and the kids went wild again as he went to grab it from behind the desk.

"It's made from super strong metal, right?" a boy questioned him.

"The very strongest." Clara nodded. "Can anyone remember what the metal is called?"

"Vibranium!" a girl with pigtails replied.

"Very good, Natalie, I'll put a sticker down on your sheet." she smiled at the girl, walking over to her desk.

"If everyone could line up, single file, you can all touch it." Steve offered, and the kids all leapt out of their seats to line up. They were all awed at the feel and look of it. They all chattered around him until Clara spoke up again.

"Okay, back in your seats please!" she stood slightly off to the side of Steve. "Can we all thank Mr. Rogers for taking time out of his busy schedule to come and help us learn something new?" the kids all yelled their thanks to him. He felt good inside, knowing he had just made their days. And the happy look Clara gave him, well damn if he didn't want to kiss her right there in front of them all. "Thanks Steve." she gave him another smile, this one grateful.

"It was great to see all of you." he smiled at her, then to all the kids.

"Okay, now don't forget about your weekend assignments. I'm pushing the science test on Monday back to Tuesday, and we're going to review the layers of the earth again on Monday. Don't forget to bring home your weekend folders, there's newsletters in there for your parents about Parent Teacher Conferences. Have a good weekend everyone!" she called over the bell as it rung and the kids all loaded up their backpacks and rushed out of the room. Within seconds it was just the two of them again.

"You give them homework on the weekend?" Steve quirked an eyebrow at her.

"It's just vocabulary." she waved him off as she walked back to her desk. "It won't take them more than thirty minutes."

"It's turned into a cruel world." he sighed, shaking his head. She shot him a look, causing him to grin.

"Hey, Clara-oh. I didn't realize someone else was here." Steve saw a man enter the classroom.

"Oh, hey Paul." she gave a strained smile. "Mr. Rogers was my… guest speaker for the day."

"Uh huh. An Avenger as a guest speaker, my class is going to be real mad at me." he chuckled, adjusting his glasses. "Captain, I'm Paul Berenstein. Nice to meet you." Steve shook his hand, but there was something that rubbed him the wrong way about this teacher. "I'm the other third grade teacher."

"Ah. I understand. Did you have a question for Clara?" Steve wanted to get the guy out as quickly as possible.

"Oh, I was just… Well I was going to ask Clara if she'd like to get dinner tonight?" he turned to her.

"Oh, Paul I, uh, well I have a date tonight actually." she shot a panicked glance at Steve.

"Oh. Well. I didn't realize." Paul's face darkened a bit. "Well, I guess I'll see you on Monday at the staff meeting." he turned stiffly and walked out the door. Steve and Clara were quiet for a moment before she sighed.

"He took that better than I thought." she chuckled wearily. "He's been asking me out for a few months now, since he took over for the old teacher pretty much."

"Well, it's a good thing you have a date tonight then." Steve shrugged.

"Oh, I-I just said that so-" she began, a bit flustered. "I know we didn't have plans, I just wanted to let him know that I'm… seeing someone."

"No, it's fine." he smiled. "I was planning on taking you out anyways."

"Ooh, where are we going?" she grinned as she began packing up her bag with papers and binders.

"Well, I thought we could go to the bistro again. It was nice and private, and I could use a break from being Captain America." he chuckled wearily.

"Thank you for doing this, by the way." she said, even though she had thanked him countless times before.

"It was fun, actually. I understand why you like what you do." he took her bag from her and hefted his shield, leading her out the door as she put her coat on.

"Yeah, the kids are wonderful." she smiled lovingly as she talked about them. He loved that she adored them so much. He loved a lot of things about her, actually.

"I'll take you home." he offered once they got out of the building.

"You don't have to." she shook her head, reaching for her bag. "I usually take the subway, anyways."

"No, it's fine. We're going to the same place, right?" he raised an eyebrow. She laughed, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, okay, I get it. Carpooling is good." she gave in, walking over to where his bike was parked. "You always offer when I'm in a skirt." she gave him a fake glare. "You should invest in a sidecar just for me."

"I'll keep it in mind." he chuckled, attaching his shield to the side of the motorcycle and putting her bag in the compartment, handing her a helmet. They both hopped on the bike and Clara squeezed her arms around him tightly, appreciating how he felt in her arms.

Neither of them noticed the figure watching them through the window.

**This one's another filler/introduction to a sideline sort of arc that is supposed to tie in some things later on in the story.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine:**

Clara grinned at the idea of bringing out her brand new outfit for the evening. It was a black and white tweed skirt with a matching blazer, though the skirt was a bit shorter than she was used to, hitting mid-thigh on her. With a white turtleneck underneath and a silver belt, she slipped on some black pumps and took her hair down. She grimaced at the look of it, quickly spritzing some oils in it in an attempt to smooth the frizz. It worked out alright, and she touched up her lips with some gloss and threw on her peacoat. Steve would be at the door any minute, and she quickly slid some silver hoops into her ears, hoping she wasn't too overdressed. Within seconds of the clock hitting six, Steve knocked before opening the door. He usually didn't wait for her to answer it anymore after her request to just come in.

"Hey, Steve." she greeted, quickly filling Richard's dish with water and setting it on the floor.

"You look… wow." he was stopped in the doorway. He couldn't keep his eyes off her long, bare legs. They looked great, _she_ looked great.

"Thank you." her cheeks pinked. "You look wow too." she joked, looking him up and down. He had on a dark blue sweater that really made his eyes glow, with tan pants and dress shoes. His jacket was over his arm, and he quickly slid it on as she walked over. He offered his hand and kissed her cheek quickly.

"You really look great." he said again. She laughed and locked the door behind her, not before blowing a kiss to Richard.

"I can't wait until we can go out when it's nicer out." she commented as they walked down the stairs. "Having to bundle up is getting old."

"Well, spring started last week technically." he laughed.

"That doesn't mean New York has warmed up at all." she rolled her eyes. "The kids have already started a countdown to the last day of school. It's kind of exciting, but I'm sad to see them go." she sighed.

"But you'll have a new class next year." he smiled down at her, handing her a helmet.

"That's always exciting." she smiled. "And I get to redecorate my room and get new supplies… yeah, I am a little excited." her laughter rang out as they pulled away from the curb, and she shifted closer to him, the wind blowing the warm comfortable scent of his jacket into her nose. He weaved through the traffic with an ease she knew she'd never have, and he got them to the restaurant in record time. He whisked her inside, and the hostess nodded to them as they went to their usual table. They'd come there enough that she recognized them easily.

"I've never really seen you wear anything like that." he commented on her outfit as she took her coat off.

"It's hard to stop dressing like a teacher sometimes." she laughed. "Is it bad?" she glanced down at the hem of her skirt, tugging it down a bit more.

"No!" he waved his hands in front of himself. "It's really, really good. I like it. A lot." he nodded at her, pulling her seat out for her. His eyes wandered down her long, slim legs.

"Well I come here for my table and someone is already using it I'm told. Of course I run into capsicle here with… a date?!" Steve and Clara turned towards the person that had appeared between the privacy plants.

"Oh god." Steve groaned under his breath. "Tony, what are you doing here?" he sighed.

"I go out sometimes." he shrugged defensively. "And I usually sit right here at this table, but to my surprise you're here. Tell me, what charity do you work for? The World War II foundation?" Tony turned towards Clara.

"I'm-there's no charity." she stammered out, confused about the situation.

"This is a date then? A date date?" Tony looked genuinely shocked.

"Uh, yes?" she squeaked out. Steve was standing stiff as a board next to the table.

"Well, I'll help liven things up, don't worry." Tony smirked, pulling out one of the chairs and settling in. "I'll have a bourbon on the rocks." he mentioned to a passing waiter. "I assume you know who I am, but you are?" he asked Clara.

"Um, I'm Clara Schmidt." she held her hand out tentatively, shaking Tony's as Steve stood next to the table, glaring Tony down.

"Take a seat, Cap, unless you're frozen again." Tony smirked. Steve shot him a look before sitting in his seat. Clara made eye contact, feeling awkward that Tony was sitting between them.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Stark." Clara sipped her water, trying to be cordial.

"The pleasure's all mine, really dollface." Steve whipped his head towards Tony again with another glare.

"Are you sure you want to sit with us? Don't you have more… important things to be doing?" Clara attempted to shoo him off.

"Don't worry, I had JARVIS clear my schedule as soon as I saw you two. I have all night to get to know mom and pop." he cleared his throat, and the waiter came back with his bourbon, depositing a few glasses of wine for Steve and Clara. "So how'd you two meet?"

"Uh, we, well, we live across from each other." Clara shifted in her seat, tugging the hem of her skirt down again, suddenly self conscious. Steve gave her a reassuring look.

"Ah, girl next door type of thing." Tony grinned. "I totally get the appeal." he said out of the side of his mouth to Steve. Clara flushed with embarrassment.

"Tony." he said in a warning tone.

"What can I get for you all this evening?" the waiter came over, interrupting the uncomfortable conversation. They all placed their orders quickly, and Clara took a large sip of her wine, hoping it would help to take the edge off.

"So Cap, how does Clara like dating a superhero? How long have you been… together?" he gave extra emphasis on the 'together'.

"It's been a few months." Steve replied without expression. She reached under the table for his hand, squeezing it gently.

"So she can join Pepper and Jane in the superhero girlfriends club!" Steve had been sipping his water, and sprayed some out at the suggestion.

"S-superhero g-girlfriends club?" she gulped, heat rising in her cheeks. "I-we-I don't think-" she didn't know how to tell him they weren't officially dating.

"Nonsense, you'll be coming to my next gala. Pepper will love making you over." he glanced down at her outfit, and her throat tightened as she thought of how cheap her clothes were compared to what he was used to.

"Tony. That's enough." Steve gritted his teeth.

"I'm fine with what I have." she forced herself to say, staring at her lap. "I make a decent salary."

"And what do you do to get that salary?" Tony questioned. She straightened her spine.

"I teach third grade."

"How very quaint." he commented, waving the waiter to get him another bourbon.

"It's respectable!" she blurted out. "Unlike being the owner of a weapons dealing company!"

"Oh Cap, I like her." Tony grinned. "She's got guts." her face burned, and she gulped down some more wine. "So this must be the teacher of the class you went to today?"

"How did you-" Steve began to ask before Tony cut him off.

"JARVIS contacted me as soon as he heard the news. I had to call a press conference about the Avengers Initiative in order to keep you out of the spotlight, you should be thanking me." Tony mentioned.

"Thank you." Steve spat. The waiter came out with the food, and they ate in silence for a few minutes before Tony spoke again.

"You two are a pretty bland couple. No PDA, no fighting, what is the attraction there?" he scrutinized.

"Our relationship is private, Stark." Steve grumbled.

"I get it, it's the forties manners." Tony nodded.

"Mr. Stark-" Clara began.

"Please, call me Tony. Or Iron Man." he waved off her formality.

"T-Tony, if you could please stop talking about our… relationship for the rest of the dinner?" she struggled to say the word, not even knowing what their relationship was.

"Your wish is my command." he chuckled. "Really. You need anything at all, Mercedes, new Chanel bag, just call me up. Anything for Capsicle's gal."

"Thank you." she flushed a bit, going back to her meal. They finished it in awkward silence, and the waiter came back to take the plates.

"Would you two like your usual dessert?" he asked.

"No, that's okay, I think we'd just like the bill." Steve said.

"Don't worry, I got it buddy." Tony flashed his card and handed it off. "The least I can do for my favorite veteran's sweetheart. What's your usual dessert, guys?"

"Cheesecake." Steve said flatly.

"Just one piece? How sweet. You're already a disgustingly cute couple." Tony mocked.

"Thank you, for the dinner Tony." Clara stood quickly, pulling her coat on.

"Yeah, thanks." Steve put on his own jacket. Tony stood as well.

"Are we going to one of your places now? Or am I not allowed to see this whole… show." Tony gestured to the two who were standing an awkward distance away from each other.

"No, I think I'd just like to get some grading done and go to bed." Clara averted her eyes.

"Goodnight, then. Hey, let me know next time you guys want to go out." Tony stepped past them, grabbing his card from the waiter. "Have a good night, and use protection." Clara buried her face in her hands, Steve flushing as well.

"I'm so sorry about him." Steve blurted out. "I never thought he'd-well, you saw him, there really was no controlling that situation."

"It's fine." she sighed, patting his arm. "Let's just go." she smiled weakly. They got back quickly, and he walked her up until they were between their doors.

"Do you want to come in?" he asked, gesturing to his apartment.

"I've never been in your apartment before." she said after nodding. He laughed lightly.

"Well, I prefer yours. Mine's a little…" he trailed off as he opened the door, letting her step in.

"Boring?" she teased, looking around. There was a sleek black leather couch, no decorations, but state of the art appliances, including a gigantic TV set. "Okay, when we watched movies the last few times why did you never mention this?" she gestured at the HD screen.

"I don't know how to work it." he confessed. She grinned, picking up the remote and turning it on. "Okay, you make it look easy." he stepped over to her with a smile and kissed her temple.

"I can teach you, you know." she mentioned.

"I know." he sighed, coming over to stand next to her. "But then I wouldn't have an excuse to come get your help." she grinned up at him as he said that.

"You don't need an excuse."

"Will you go steady with me?" Steve blurted out, his face immediately turning an endearing shade of pink. Clara's face dropped with shock before her smile beamed out even wider.

"Took you long enough to ask." she laughed. He sighed in relief. "Does this mean I'm your girl?"

"You weren't before?" he teased, and she smacked him lightly on the arm.

"Of course I was." she pouted.

"I'm glad." he leaned down to kiss her. It started out as sweet, innocent even. But when she pressed closer and he wrapped his arms around her waist, it got a lot more serious. Her stomach was filled with butterflies, and her body was on fire. She was glad he was holding on to her, otherwise her legs would have given out by how shaky they felt.

Steve felt much of the same, his skin tingling where they touched, and his heart was beating out of his chest. Her fingers were playing with the hem of his jacket, and he realized he should probably take it off, but he didn't care about that. The way she felt in his arms, so soft, so open to him, it was probably the greatest thing he'd ever experienced. She tasted sweet on his lips, and it was intoxicating. He felt all of his tension melt away as she rubbed her hand in between his shoulder blades.

"Steve." she gasped as he backed her into the back of the couch. He lifted her so she was perched onto the back of the couch with ease, and she no longer had to strain to meet his lips. She kissed him deeply, a soft sigh escaping her lips. She slid her hands up his hard chest, feeling the muscles twitch as he pressed closer. She felt her knees part to let him come as close as possible, and Clara slid her hands under his jacket, pushing it down off his shoulders. He let it drop to the floor, and she felt his hand pull the tie at the front of her coat, letting it fall open and off her shoulders. She heard it slide onto the couch, but she quickly forgot about it, wrapping her arms back around him. His hands were tight on her hips, keeping her close to him. She felt lightheaded and had to break away for air. He blinked at her for a moment before flushing.

"Clara, I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Don't." she gasped, and his gaze dropped to the floor as he stepped back. "Don't apologize for kissing me like that. Just do it more." she tugged him closer, and his eyes shot back up to her face. She didn't have to tell him twice as he practically lunged forward, kissing her fiercely. She gave a contented sigh at the feeling of him holding her so tightly, she wrapped her legs around his hips, one of her shoes falling off in the process. He leaned forward so far that she tipped back, slipping down onto the couch. Her other shoe went flying as she bounced, and they looked at each other for a second before bursting into laughter.

"Are you alright?" he walked around to come and sit next to her.

"Yeah, I'm just fine." the trance they seemed to have been in had disappeared, and now they didn't seem quite so impatient to touch each other. "Just hurt my pride a little bit." she sat up, curling her legs underneath her. She scooted closer to him, picking up the remote. "Should we see if there's a movie on?" Clara lifted his arm and draped it over her shoulders, wedging herself as close as possible to him.

"Sure." he smiled, liking the way she wasn't afraid to be close to him. Sometimes it was hard to think about what he had done. His body was made for killing, he _had_ killed, fought numerous battles. But around her, it was just a body. He could just be Steve.

"Oh, I love this! It's called 13 Going on 30." she found a channel she liked and settled back into him.

"Should I make popcorn?" he asked.

"You have some?" her head popped up as she peered up at his face. He smiled, liking the excited way she looked.

"Yeah, I should." he unfortunately had to let go of her to get up, but she frowned.

"You know, I can make it since you've never seen the movie. I don't want you to miss the beginning." she sat up on her knees.

"You sure?" he frowned down at her.

"Yes! I've seen it a million times, don't worry. Plus, I make great popcorn."

"How can you make great popcorn? Doesn't it just go in the microwave for a few minutes?" he teased.

"I do it better." she stuck her tongue out and stood up.

"I'll believe it when I see it." he laughed, sitting back down.

"Which cabinet is it in?" she opened the first one she saw, and halted when she saw a gun next to a box of ammo. She quickly slammed it shut.

"Um, the third one over I think." he said, not noticing what she had found. Sometimes she forgot he wasn't just Steve from across the hall. He was an Avenger, who always had to be ready for a fight. She opened the correct cabinet and got to work, ripping open the packet and starting the microwave. She waited until it was ready, then she quickly opened the bag and found a bowl that would work in the cupboard. She brought it back over to steve and hopped back into her spot, setting the bowl on her knees. They watched the movie, her making quiet comments letting him know certain things that he wouldn't understand. At the end of the movie she got up to put the bowl away.

"How'd you like it?" she asked, setting it in the sink and beginning to wash it.

"She just changed her life? Just like that." he stared forwards at the end credits. She stopped washing the bowl, drying her hands off on a towel and slowly walking back over.

"Steve? You okay?" she asked gently. He looked down at his hands, then turned around to face her.

"I was just thinking…" he shook his head. "No, never mind."

"You can tell me." she smiled, sitting at his side and grabbing his hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"I thought, what if I could do that?" he looked up at her. "What if I could go back and not take the serum?" her heart squeezed at the expression in his face. She knew he was haunted by years of war, of the things he'd seen. Everyone he knew during that time was gone. "Would I refuse it if I knew how things would turn out?"

"I don't know, Steve." she choked out, her eyes filling with tears. "Only you know that. So much has happened to you, I wouldn't know what to do in your situation." a few droplets dribbled down her cheeks.

"Oh, now I made you cry. I'm sorry, doll." he cooed, wiping the moisture from her face.

"No, it's okay, I'm just… well, I'm sorry that things turned out this way for you." she shook her head.

"I'm not." he smiled.

"What?" Clara frowned. "What do you mean?"

"A lot has happened… I've lost a lot. But I also gained something, too." his smile turned shy. "I got you out of the deal, so I guess I really got the most." she laughed, tilting her head into the back of the couch.

"You're too sweet for me, Steve." she wiggled closer.

"Is that good or bad?" he wrapped his arms around her again, bringing her against his chest.

"Very good." she laughed. He chuckled, and she felt it rumble against her cheek. She yawned, and he pulled back.

"Sorry, it's late, isn't it?" he smiled sheepishly. "I should let you get to bed."

"Going to bed means leaving though." she sighed.

"Sorry." he chuckled.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" she asked.

"Whatever you want to." he shrugged. She laughed again.

"See, you're too good for me, Steve. Pick me up at ten? I want to go to the bookstore." she gave him a coy look. He groaned, she knew he hated going there. "You said whatever I want!" she shrugged with a laugh.

"I did say that." he laughed, standing. "I'll see you at ten." he began to walk her towards the door, picking up her shoes and coat on the way. He handed them over as she got outside her apartment, and she grinned up at him, kissing him sweetly on the lips before unlocking her door.

"Night Steve." she backed inside, smiling at him the whole time.

"Goodnight, Clara." he grinned right back as she shut the door. He went back to get ready for bed with a sigh, deciding to take a shower. Clara was thinking much of the same, as she tossed her shoes in her closet.

"Hey Richie!" she called out for the cat. She frowned when she didn't hear him move. She walked around until she heard scratching inside the bathroom. "Oh Rich, how'd you get in there?" she opened the door seeing her cat waiting inside.

She was about to lean down and pick him up, but something hit the back of her head hard. She saw stars burst in front of her eyes, then nothing as she fell to the ground.

**We met Iron Man, made it official, and got a cliffhanger, all in the same chapter? Man I'm on fire.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten:**

Steve woke up the next morning with a grin on his face. He nearly whistled as he got ready, making some breakfast and getting dressed. He counted the minutes until ten, getting ready to go pick up his girl. God, his girl. The thought made his smile even wider. He was so glad she had been patient with him. How did he ever get so lucky? At 9:59 he walked out his door, locking it behind him, and he knocked on hers a minute later. He hummed for a bit, waiting for her to open the door.

He frowned when after a minute there was no sound from inside. He tried the knob. It opened. Maybe she was in the shower? The thought made his ears burn. She'd never run late before. She wasn't in the kitchen, or in the living room.

"Clara?" he called out, moving towards the bedroom. He was getting worried now, maybe she had run out on him. Maybe he'd freaked her out by asking her to be his girl. A white sheet of paper on the counter caught his eye. It didn't look like any of the quizzes she'd had the day before. He walked over and looked at it, dread filling his stomach once he saw the words on the page. He nearly passed out as he pulled his phone from his pocket.

"Hey Cap, what's the sitch?" Tony answered.

"HYDRA has Clara." he said flatly.

"I'm sorry could you repeat that? Because what I heard is not possible." Steve could hear the whirring of Tony's suit powering up through the phone.

"I'll be at the tower in ten. Get Nat ready." Steve barked out before hanging up. He grabbed the letter, nearly crumpling it up, but he decided he'd need it to show Stark and Natasha. He hoped Clint was around.

….

"So, what, she was just gone this morning?" Clint asked as he looked over the note.

"I went in her apartment and she wasn't there and the cat wasn't fed. She always feeds Richard right away in the morning, so they must have taken her after she left last night." Steve explained, pacing the board room.

"Yes, the cat Richard was his first priority." Tony commented dryly. Natasha shot him a glare.

"Well, it looks like HYDRA all right." Clint sighed, tossing the paper aside. The paper was mostly blank, except for the symbol on the top right corner and the message in the middle.

"'We have her. Come find us.' could be anybody." Stark replied.

"It's got HYDRA's seal." Natasha pointed out. "If it's not them, then it's someone trying to frame them, which makes this more complicated."

"Should we file a missing person's report?" Steve asked.

"Well, we have to notify at least her family." Clint replied.

"And her boss." Tony frowned.

"I'll call the school, can somebody find her dad's number and let him know?" Steve pulled his phone out and dialed the last number he'd had to call.

"I'll do it." Natasha began typing on the computer, most likely searching for Clara's information. It made Steve uncomfortable to know it was that easy to find these things, but it was in her best interest at the moment. He heard the receptionist from the day before answer the phone.

"Hi, this is Steve from yesterday. I'm calling to let you know that Clara won't be coming in on Monday. Or maybe any day this week." he was thankful that Clara had mentioned the office was open on weekends, so he knew he could get a hold of someone.

"So we're out two third grade teachers?" she sighed.

"What?" Steve was confused. Paul was gone too?

"Yeah, the other teacher told us he had a family emergency and that he would be gone for a few days. Never said when he'd be back." she replied. His blood turned to ice as he realized something was really wrong.

"Thank you." he said quickly before hanging up. He turned towards the others in the room. "This wasn't random, they've been watching her for a few months now."

"What do you mean? How do you know that?" Tony demanded.

"A coworker is gone for a family emergency. Started work there about a week after I met her."

"Very suspicious." Clint sighed. "Definitely something to look into."

"It feels like they're toying with me." Steve sighed.

"They are. It's what they do." Natasha replied flatly.

"What do we do now?" Tony asked.

"We wait for intel. I'm tracking security cameras from Friday night outside your apartment to see if anyone suspicious exited." Natasha pulled up a video stream from the night before, and they watched intently.

"There." Steve pointed. An old car pulled up to the curb, and someone resembling Paul had exited. He held an empty duffel bag and was wearing a baseball cap.

"That the guy?" Natasha zoomed in. "We'll see what time he leaves." she sped forward until he got back to his car, his duffel bag full this time.

"Is she in the bag?" Tony frowned.

"They knocked her out and stuffed her in an unassuming bag." Clint sighed. "It's smart." they watched him drop the bag in the trunk, locking it before starting the car up and driving away.

"He didn't even make a quick getaway, he turned on his blinker and waited for traffic to pass!" Tony sounded exasperated. "He drives like Happy does on a Tuesday afternoon. Where's the excitement!" he complained.

"He's being smart, not attracting any attention." Clint shot him a look. "It's going to be even harder to find her, Nat you got the plates?"

"He must have switched them out in a blind spot, I'm not seeing them on any traffic route around." she muttered, clicking through various traffic cameras. They searched for a bit, waiting for the car to pop up somewhere.

It didn't.

"What are we going to do now?" Steve felt dread pool in his stomach.

"I've got it. JARVIS, put a hit out for a white 2003 impala." Tony spoke to his AI.

"There are eighty-two sightings of a white 2003 Chevy Impala Mr. Stark." JARVIS replied after a minute.

"Confine it to thirty-third street." he specified.

"There are five sightings of a white 2003 Chevy Impala on thirty-third."

"Check the times between 12:30 and 1 in the morning." Natasha asked.

"There is one sighting of a white 2003 Chevy Impala on thirty-third at 12:47am." JARVIS brought up an image of the car with Paul inside.

"Track the route through town please." Clint peered at the screen, and JARVIS brought up a map, an orange line highlighting the streets it took to get to its destination.

"I'll never get used to this." Steve sighed, shaking his head. Was it really that easy?

"The route stops near one of SHIELD's bases, I'll send out a com that we're looking for backup and arriving at nightfall. Tony, please get a quinjet ready." Natasha ordered, pulling out a cell phone and dialing a number.

"Yes Miss Assassin." Tony saluted, pressing his glowing blue circle. Steve stared as he walked, his suit following close behind as he prepared to suit up.

"Should we get Dr. Banner?" Clint asked.

"I think this would be best if we kept it quiet." Steve hefted his shield over his shoulder, attaching it to his back and following the direction Tony went in. "I don't want any chance of her getting caught in the fray."

"You holding up okay?" Natasha asked.

"I'll be fine once we get her back." Steve gritted his teeth, stalking ahead. He just needed her to be okay.

"This is the most exciting Sunday I've had since I saw a priest choke on a cracker." Tony commented, trying to lighten the mood. No one laughed. "Okay, what's the plan then?" he asked as they all got seated in the jet.

"Clint goes in first to scope it out. Once he gives us the signal, we storm and head out whoever is in there. Steve goes after Clara, and Tony you fly her out. Hopefully we can take down whoever's in charge of the kidnapping and get them into custody." Natasha spoke, a no-nonsense tone taking over her demeanor.

"What if they aren't there?" Steve felt his stomach drop at Tony's question.

"Then we keep looking. She's a civilian. Just bait. They want Captain America to come swooping in so that they can take him out." Clint added.

"You're their biggest threat right now." Natasha sighed.

"We'll get her, Capsicle." Tony patted his arm. Surprisingly, Steve didn't mind the comfort Tony provided in that moment. It seemed that Stark wasn't a complete joke.

…..

Clara groaned, her head ached as she woke. She squeezed her eyes shut at the pounding headache she had. She tried reaching up to press against the spot that hurt the most, but her hand wouldn't move. She tried again, and she felt resistance against her wrist. Her eyes shot open. What was going on? She was in a dark room, not her bedroom. She was leaning against a wall, and it felt like cement. The ground under her was cement too. She tried to call out, but her mouth was taped shut.

That was when she really started to panic. She began thrashing against her bindings, but both her feet and hands were taped together. A whimper escaped through her nose, and she felt a scream building in her throat. But she couldn't freak out, she had to calm down and figure out _what the hell was happening_. Her eyes burned with tears, and her breaths came out sharp and fast. She heard something, and her eyes darted around, finally spotting a door in the dim light. Someone was speaking outside of it, but she couldn't quite make out the words over the sound of her own heartbeat.

There was a click as the door unlocked, and it slowly opened, light coming into the room as a sharp beam. Her eyes stung at the white pain, she probably had a concussion from how her head was throbbing. She looked down at her knees, squeezing her eyes shut again as a light turned on in the room.

"She's awake." someone announced, and she heard a pair of loud footsteps her eyelids shot open wide as she pressed herself further against the wall. She stared up into the face of a stranger, and dread set in. What on earth was going on?

"I'm sure you have questions." the stranger sneered down at her. "You're the bait, if you will." her mind whirred. Bait? Bait for-Steve. Bile rose in her throat as she realized. They were using her to get to him. But why? Who were these people?

"Aubergine to Brown." a voice crackled over some sort of walkie talkie. The stranger sighed, pulling it off his hip and up to his lips.

"Yes?" he rolled his eyes as he replied.

"We've got eyes on the Captain. He's approaching the warehouse in New York, they've tracked the mole." the person on the line revealed.

"Do not approach. Once he finds we aren't there, we only have a limited time to set up the cryo chamber for transport."

"Understood." Clara's mind whirred. They were trying to freeze Steve again? But why? It didn't make any sense. Where were they going to take him?

"Mole." the stranger barked. Another figure came forward, and Clara nearly gasped. It was _Paul._ She felt like she was going to be sick. He was one of them?

"Yes Brown." he grimaced down at Clara.

"Keep an eye on her. I'm going to go prep the chamber. Zola's Winter Soldier program will be complete once we get Rogers under the influence." Brown ordered, stalking out of the room. "Oh, and if she causes any trouble, sedate her. We don't need any distractions."

"Of course." Paul sneered. "Anything for the mission." the door slammed shut behind Brown, and the room was silent once more. Paul stared at her with his arms crossed, not moving. She couldn't tell if he'd even blinked. She sniffled, and it surprised her when she realized she had been crying. He sighed, rolling his eyes at her. "Would you calm down? You're fine, honestly." he said boredly. She shook her head frantically, and the tears came even faster. Muffled sobs heaved from her chest, the tape over her lips pulling harshly. Her bare legs were dirty, and she pulled them closer to her body, her toes scraping across the rough floor. She shivered, and he sighed again, crossing the room to pick up a blanket off of a desk. He threw it over her, covering the majority of her lower half. At least they didn't want her to freeze to death.

"Aubergine to Mole." the same voice from before came from the walkie at Paul's hip.

"What is it?" he droned.

"We have eyes on a small team of the Avengers. They've realized she's not there, but they're splitting up to follow the separate trails. Brown requested the hostage be moved to ground level."

"Will do." he huffed, leaning down to grab her arm. "You know, infiltrating the school was almost too easy. But having to be in charge of those little fucks all day was annoying. I don't understand how you _like _that bullshit. I hope you die in the crossfire you maniac." he huffed, dragging her towards the door. "Nighty night, Clara." he grinned, and she felt pain in the side of her neck before her vision went spotty. She felt herself cry out again before everything went black once more.

**This whole conflict is obviously my own setup, none of this happens in the MCU, but I wanted to make some more connections without just throwing the OC in the thick of every fight.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven:**

Steve didn't understand how it had happened. They were so _sure_ that was where they tracked her to last, but somehow they managed to move her to a different location. Clint and Tony had split off to check the other warehouse, while he and Natasha headed towards the abandoned base HYDRA was supposedly inhabiting.

"Paul must've been a decoy." he muttered. "They knew I'd recognize him and think that he brought her there. But how did they get her out?"

"They must've switched the duffel when he changed the plates. We'll find her, Steve." Nat patted his arm softly. "She's strong, she'll make it through this." she steered the quinjet down to a clearing between the trees.

"I hope she's here." Steve said a quick prayer before hopping out, readying his shield.

"Me too, Cap." she followed quickly. A few SHIELD agents followed them out, a couple of stragglers Natasha requested as backup. They were going for stealth. Steve led the group through the trees, approaching some sort of fortress. There were no guards outside, and no sign of anyone inside either. One floodlight stood in front of the building. Natasha retrieved a device from her belt, aiming it at the building.

"What's that?" Steve asked.

"An electronic neutralizer. All their communications will be down, but so will ours. We're going to have to stick close." she explained. He nodded before leading them forwards, shield hefted and ready. He crept up to a boarded window, peeking through the gap. When he saw that no one was inside, he quickly pushed it through and caught it before it could hit the floor, gently setting it inside the building. He motioned the rest of the group first, keeping watch outside for any trouble. He hopped through last, and they went through the compound quickly and quietly. He heard some conversation through a doorway and halted, watching as Natasha peered into the room via mirror.

"How many?" Steve murmured.

"Four. They're all turned, they won't see you if you slip past now. Go find her, we can handle it here." she ordered, turning to explain the situation to the rest of the group.

"Thank you, Natasha." he breathed before slipping past the open doorway. He was on his own now. He walked through empty halls, quietly checking each doorway before slipping past. He hoped she was on ground level.

"Something's wrong, communications are blocked." a voice said from right around the corner. Steve froze, creeping through an empty doorway to hide.

"They must be here. Do you think Brown has cryo ready yet? I don't know how long we can hold the target off." another voice replied.

"I just checked in with the girl. The Mole is with the hostage right now, so if anything he will be able to distract him while it gets prepped." the first voice said back. They moved past the room Steve was crouched in, and he waited a moment before continuing along the path. Clara was here for sure, but she wasn't alone. He had hoped he wouldn't have to fight. He just wanted her _home_. He got even further before hearing another voice. His eyebrows furrowed at the sound. He recognized it as Paul.

"Mole to Brown, Mole to Brown." he heard. "Goddammit, stupid thing." Paul muttered. "I'm stuck with the girl and communications are down. Fuck it all." Steve crept forward, peeking into the room. Paul was in the middle, fiddling with a walkie talkie. And there she was. Clara was passed out, crumpled in a heap on the floor. She had her arms and legs bound, and his throat tightened as he realized she was only there because of _him._ He wasted no time, flinging his shield out. It hit the back of Paul's head and he crumpled, knocked out with one blow. He sprinted into the room, picking up the shield and retrieving his girl. Once she was flung over his shoulder he attempted to make a quick getaway.

A damn alarm sounded, and Steve groaned in annoyance. Could he please catch a break? He ran down the hallway, stealth mission abandoned as he looked for another window. The cement walls were not kind to him. He growled as he approached two HYDRA agents, both with guns raised. He threw the shield, taking them both down, and he stooped to pick it up before he started his breakneck sprint again. There was gunfire and shouting ahead, and he swore under his breath before adjusting Clara on his shoulder. One hand gripped her thigh, steadying her so she wouldn't jostle around too much as he ran. He entered a room with at least twelve people firing and fighting in it, Natasha and one other person being the only one on his side.

"Natasha, I've got her!" Steve called out to his teammate, and she glanced over with a nod before stabbing a knife into the next of the man next to her. He slumped over, and Steve took the chance to set Clara in a safe corner behind a filing cabinet. He stood guard in front of her, fighting off anyone who was approaching.

"Steve, we've got no backup!" Natasha warned as she fought her way closer to him. HYDRA agents were coming in waves, and they were surrounded in no time.

"Any ideas on how to get out of here?" dread pooled in his stomach. Before she could reply, he heard thunder rumbling nearby.

"Thank god for gods." Natasha muttered as a streak of lightning blew through half the enemy, knocking the majority of them off their feet. Thor had miraculously arrived, and once they had him on their side everyone else was easy pickings.

"Let's get out of here." Steve called quickly as the last hostile went down. He slung Clara back over his shoulder and stormed from the room, happy that his team followed him. They made it out of the building, finally, and hurried to the quinjet.

"Heimdall sensed your disturbance and alerted me, seems I arrived just in time." Thor boomed once the group of four got inside the jet.

"Thanks a lot." Steve breathed, finally setting Clara down somewhere _safe_. He gently pulled the tape from her mouth and cut her restraints. She flopped over bonelessly, a puff of air escaping her mouth. She was dirty, with dried tear tracks on her face. His heart twinged at the thought of what happened, he just wanted to make sure she was okay.

"Two of our agents went missing in there." Natasha said quietly. "I didn't see them get taken out. We have to assume the worst."

"They're dead?" The last of their backup frowned.

"They're spies." Thor corrected. Natasha looked up with a grim nod.

"We aren't secure. I don't know how many agents I can trust at this point." Nat admitted, starting the engine and taking to the sky.

"Who's the girl?" Thor motioned towards Clara's sleeping form.

"It's Capsicle's honey." Stark's voice came over the intercom. Steve stifled a groan, gently rubbing his hand on Clara's back.

"Congratulations Captain!" Thor beamed. "I can't wait to meet her."

"Thanks." Steve replied meekly. They stayed quiet until Tony interrupted again.

"The doctor is ready for his patient in the medbay. I may have made him a little green, so please be patient while he deals with the patient." His voice crackled through the speakers. Steve sighed, resting his head against the wall. He was suddenly so tired. But he just needed to make sure Clara was okay.

….

Clara groaned at the pain in her head. There was a bright light above her, and she scrunched her face, wishing it would just go away.

"Hey, doll." she heard someone murmur next to her. The voice soothed her, and she made another noise, reaching out towards them. A hand grabbed hers and squeezed, and she recognized the callous, strong palms as Steve's.

"Steve?" she croaked out, cracking her eyelids and wincing at the light. She moaned at the pulse her head gave at the offending brightness.

"Here, I'll turn the light out." a new voice whispered. A moment later, the light dimmed, and she was able to open her eyes. She blinked, adjusting to her surroundings. She wasn't in a hospital, but it looked close to one. She looked over at Steve, who was staring worriedly. He had that cute look in his eyes where he just wanted to make everything better, and she melted a little bit and squeezed his hand tighter.

"How do you feel?" he asked expectantly.

"Like I got hit by a truck." she groaned again, gently touching the tender spot on the back of her skull. "What happened?" Steve's eyes went cold for a moment.

"Some bad people took you in an attempt to take me out." he grimaced, and he looked a little bit ashamed. "I'm so sorry, Clara."

"Don't worry about it." she sighed, rolling over towards him. "I'm just glad they didn't get to you. I can't believe they were going to put you on ice again." She frowned.

"On ice again?" the new voice asked. She blinked and looked over, taking in the dark haired man in the white lab coat.

"Are you my doctor?" she frowned.

"Uh, yes, I'm Dr. Banner. It's nice to meet you. But what did you say about putting him on ice?" Banner's eyes danced with confusion, and even Steve had a confused frown.

"They were talking about it. They were prepping it before you go there, they said they would put you in cryo to transport you somewhere for this, um, what was it called…" she pressed her finger to her lips as she hummed. "This program, winter soldier I think. They said something about a person named Zola too, but I'm not sure if that's right." she looked over at Steve, taking in his appearance and sighing in relief that he was okay.

"The Winter Soldier Program?" Banner frowned. Steve looked at him expectantly, probably hoping for answers. She wanted answers too. "Steve, could I have a moment?" Dr. Banner motioned him over to the side of the room. Clara let go reluctantly, straining her ears to listen in on their conversation.

"Do you have any idea what she's talking about?" Steve asked.

"She has a concussion. I wouldn't be surprised if she had a nightmare while she was out, and the sedative they gave her probably isn't helping. She might have trouble understanding the difference between reality and what's inside her head for a few hours. That particular sedative has a very high chance of hallucinations, so she might have imagined a conversation where they threatened to put you back on ice." Dr. Banner said to Steve. She frowned, knowing she hadn't hallucinated the conversation.

"It was real." she called out weakly. "This guy, they called him Brown, he was in charge of it. Didn't you see him?"

"No, sweetheart, I didn't. But I'll look into it, okay? You might have just misunderstood." Steve was back at her side in an instant, cooing softly to her. He brushed his thumb along her forehead, and she sighed at the touch.

"I'll go let everyone know she's up." Banner quickly left the room.

"How did you find me?" she murmured, relaxing into his hold as he sat on the side of her bed to wrap his arms around her.

"I called the school to let them know you were missing. The receptionist said Paul was also gone, and then it clicked in my head that he only started working with you after I met you. So we checked the cameras for Paul, and we found him. He put you in a _duffel bag_. Don't worry, I knocked him in the head real good for that." he grinned down at her, and she smiled back, wiggling closer.

"Thank you. For saving me." she yawned.

"You shouldn't be thanking me. It's my fault they took you in the first place." he whispered, shaking his head.

"Did you ask them to?" Clara quirked an eyebrow.

"No." He furrowed his brows.

"Then I don't see how it's your fault. And don't try to argue with me!" She stopped him as he opened his mouth. "There's no way I'd ever think that, okay?" She soothed him. He sighed with a chuckle, and she smiled at him again.

"How are you feeling?" Dr. Banner walked back in.

"Much better honestly, just a headache now." she admitted, leaning forward to speak with him.

"I have some spare clothes for you from Natasha, so I think you should be able to go home soon." he brought over a pile of clothing. "Let me know if you need anything. Your concussion is very mild, I gave Cap all the instructions on how to take care of you, but you should be fine in a day or two if you take it easy."

"I let the school know you'll be back next week." Steve mentioned as Banner left again.

"Next week? What day is it?" she frowned.

"It's Wednesday." he sighed. "We didn't find where you were until Sunday, and by that I mean where we thought you were. We wasted a few hours until we found where you actually were, and then we got you back here late Monday night. You were in and out all of Tuesday, and now it's Wednesday." Steve explained.

"Geez! That's insane." she shook her head.

"Here, I'll let you get dressed." He peeled away from her embrace, walking toward the entrance. "Just come on out whenever you're ready."

"Will do." Clara smiled at him. She slowly stood from the bed, making sure she had her bearings before trying anything too ambitious. She picked up the clothes, frowning at the style. It wasn't anything she would have picked for herself, but it was better than the paper gown she was wearing. A black tank top with a black leather jacket and black jeans. She had to roll the hens of the jeans before stuffing her feet into a pair of, you guessed it, black combat boots. She didn't feel quite like herself, but she did feel pretty badass. She patted down her hair, wincing has she brushed the tender spot, but she walked out with ease, spotting Steve standing next to a couch, grinning at someone.

"Ah, here she is." he turned to grin at her, and she noticed Natasha sitting next to Dr. Banner on the couch.

"Thank you for the clothes." She smiled at Natasha.

"You know, we could make a spy out of you by the way you fit those clothes." The redhead commented. Clara just laughed and shook her head.

"I think we'll skip that training for now." Steve grimaced.

"Captain! Introduce me to your lovely friend." A booming voice came from the entryway. Clara turned and paled at the giant that walked towards them. She thought Steve was big but, wow was this guy big.

"Oh, Clara, this is Thor. Thor, this is Clara, she's my, uh, girlfriend." Steve scratched the back of his head sheepishly. She stared up at the god in awe.

"Nice to meet you, I saw you on TV during the alien invasion." Clara held her hand out, a little awed.

"Captain Rogers, I understand the appeal." Thor had taken her hand, shaking it for a moment before lifting her from the ground by her arm. "She's very portable, it must be convenient." she had no idea what to do.

"Thor, could you put her down? She's got a, uh, concussion right now so be careful…" Dr. Banner called out.

"T-thank you." Clara's face was red as he set her back on her feet. Steve pulled her to him again, a grimace on his face as he held on tightly.

"Well we should probably get going. Thanks, everyone." He waved sheepishly before steering her out the door. "Sorry, Thor gets a little weird about things. I didn't think he'd do that, though." He chuckled.

"Well I guess it was a compliment." She laughed. "But he was huge! Is there just a factory where they make big super strong blonde men that also happen to be very handsome? Because if so, I'd like to visit one day." She joked, poking him in the side.

"Not that I'm aware of, but if I find out I'll let you know." Steve commented dryly. She giggled and pressed closer to his arm as he walked her to his bike. They fell into their routine, Steve giving her the helmet and she fell onto the bike behind him, pressed up as close as possible. She hummed in content and he wove through the traffic, squeezing him around the middle. When he pulled over he pulled himself off and then turned to help her. She carefully took the helmet off her head, making sure not to bump any stitches or reopen anything. He brought her back up to her apartment, and she collapsed on the couch as soon as they got inside.

"I'm so happy to be home!" Clara moaned, stretching out like a cat. She sat up with a gasp. "Did anyone feed Richard?" She asked, looking around for her cat.

"Don't worry, Natasha stopped in every day to play with him and make sure he was fed." Steve assured her.

"She did that for me?" she felt touched by the action. Steve smiled as he walked over to her.

"Partly for you, partly because she ended up loving Rich." he laughed, taking a seat next to her. "She called your dad, too, and he mentioned he wants you to rest up. He also said he would be going on a fishing trip, so he would call you when he gets back." He leaned in close for a kiss, but she held her hands up to stop him.

"I haven't brushed my teeth for days, and haven't showered for longer." she admitted, standing and edging towards the bathroom. Steve chuckled and waved her along.

"Go ahead, I'm not going anywhere." her lips grew into a wide smile as he said that.

"I'll only be gone thirty minutes." She promised before running to the bathroom. He laughed at her reaction. He sighed to himself, thinking about the past few days. He knew he had been snappy and brooding while she was out, but as soon as she had woken up she made everything better just with a smile. It soothed over him like a balm. What would he have done if she was badly injured? He frowned, pushing the thought away. The important thing was that she was fine and she was with him. He would have trouble leaving her to herself, what if something happened again? He made a mental note to have Stark give her a tail. He couldn't trust SHIELD, not now, so soon after they found a few traitors in their ranks. He picked up his phone and dialed Tony's number.

"Hey Capsicle, miss me already?" Tony's voice answered.

"I have a favor to ask you." Steve glanced at the bathroom door, hearing the shower begin to run.

"Name it." He sounded bored.

"I want security on Clara. I can't always be around, and I don't trust SHIELD to be close to her right now. Natasha and I have to try and find where HYDRA infiltrated and if there's any more." Steve explained.

"Already done. I took matters into my own hands while she was asleep, and I have three camera feeds of her most visited locations on constant watch." Tony said nonchalantly. "If anyone so much as even looks at her we'll have them taken out."

"Good." Steve sighed in relief.

"How's her little concussion going?"

"She seems mostly fine. She's in the shower right now." Steve explained.

"And you're not in there with her? I must say, Spangles, you have more self control than I thought." Tony's smirk was almost audible.

"Stark." Steve warned.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, she would never defile a national treasure." Stark joked.

"Defile a-Stark!" Steve turned red at his words.

"Good luck with that. You'll be begging for it in no time." Tony hung up at that. Steve pocketed his phone, groaning audibly as he dragged a hand down his unshaven face. He heard the bathroom door creak open, and he whipped around to see her in a pink fuzzy robe, her wet curls draped over her shoulder.

"I forgot clothes." She smiled sheepishly before padding to her bedroom. She looked so cute it made his heart ache. He felt another shot of guilt eat away at his conscience. She got hurt because of him. If she never met him, she wouldn't have ever been in such a dangerous situation. But he knew he could never be without her, and that was selfish of him.

There was a part of him that told him the only way to keep her safe was to leave. But he knew that was stupid. Leaving her would only make them both vulnerable and alone, and something he learned from his best friend was that it was always easier when someone had your back. He frowned at the thought of Bucky being gone, mourned his loss. But he pushed that thought aside as Clara re-emerged.

She was wearing a pair of soft black leggings and a long sleeved t-shirt, successfully covering the red marks from where she's struggled against the tape that had bound her.

"How are you feeling?" He asked as she settled onto the couch next to him.

"Almost perfect." She smiled sweetly, pressing herself forwards into his arms and kissing him sweetly. He returned her affections, pulling her tightly against him as she sighed into the kiss. She giggled a bit as he kissed her jawline. He paused, pulling back to look at her.

"What?" she hid a shy smile from him.

"Your beard tickles." She admitted, stroking the hair on his cheeks.

"Sorry." He frowned, rubbing his hand across the scruff. "I should probably shave it."

"I think you look handsome with it." She admitted with a grin, patting his cheek. "But maybe in the next few days you could trim it back so it's not so tickly."

"Will do." he captured her lips again, this kiss a bit deeper than the one before. She let out a soft sound, a breathy moan as he spread his palm over the small of her back. Her own hands began to wander over his body, playing with the hem of his cotton T-shirt. He felt heat course through his body as her fingers pressed against the skin under his shirt, tracing circles into his sides. There was nothing he wanted more than to do the same to her own skin, but he was nervous to make the move.

The hand that wasn't pressed against her back made its way to her thigh, squeezing the soft muscle and pulling her onto his lap. She settled in, straddling him quickly and roving her hands to his chest, her hands moving up to his broad shoulders.

She felt a bit overwhelmed, this man was near perfection and she had him all to herself. When his lips trailed to her neck again, she only sighed contentedly, feeling spoiled with his sweet affection.

"Steve, can I…?" She trailed off, tugging the hem of his shirt.

"Oh, um, yes." He flushed, pulling the shirt up and over his head in one swift movement. The golden skin underneath shocked her for a moment. Smooth, rippling with muscles… his very broad, very beautiful shoulders tapered into a trim waist that she ached to touch.

"Holy shit…" she muttered as she brushed her fingertips over rock hard abs. "You're making me feel a bit self conscious over her, Captain." She joked. Well, half joked. She wasn't exactly in the best shape…

"What do you have to be self conscious about?" He frowned at her. "You're… you're perfect." He admitted shyly, his hands settling at her hips again.

"I'm not, I don't, well I haven't really worked out since college." She smiled sheepishly. "So I don't really have all these rock hard abs and bulging muscles."

"Why do you need that stuff?" He pulled her closer. "I like you exactly the way you are." She smiled at his words.

"You spoil me, Steve Rogers." she grinned shyly.

"You deserve it." He leaned forward to kiss her again. She fluttered her hands over his body, not sure where to settle them. She could feel his skin heating, and her own responded the same as he smoothed his hands up to her ribs, pulling her body tight against his. He deepened the kiss, and she ached to feel his skin against hers. She pulled back for a moment to pull off her own shirt, and he raked his eyes down her body before flushing again.

She should have put on a cuter bra, she frowned to herself, but lost her train of thought when he crushed her against him again. His hands against her bare skin felt much better than she could have ever dreamed of, the calloused palms causing her to shiver in his grasp.

"Are you cold?" He murmured against her lips.

"No." She breathed out, raking her fingers through his perfect blonde hair. They didn't talk again after that, as the kiss continued down a path she knew she was ready to take with him. She felt bold, feeling him grow beneath her, and she ground against him, causing a low groan to fall from his lips. Her chest brushed against him, and she felt her sensitive skin respond in turn. She continued to writhe against him, feeling so good it was almost sinful. He groaned again.

Oh god. She was ready, but was _he_? She pulled her lips away from him, backing off. The confused expression on his face pulled at her heartstrings, and her libido screamed at her to continue.

"I-I'm sorry, I got a little carried away." She stuttered. "I never asked if you were ready for this, I don't even know…" she wasn't sure what to say next.

"I've never…" he shook his head. "I've never done this before."

"Oh god. I almost. Oh god." She dropped her head in shame. She was going to take his _virginity_.

"What's wrong?" He felt dread pool in his stomach.

"I just. I should have asked if you were ready, I just pounced. Like a hussy, oh god, I'm a hussy!" She pressed her face into his chest.

"You're really not." He chuckled. "I'm just as willing as you are, I'm just not… experienced." Steve sighed.

"Well, that doesn't matter." She mumbled into his neck. He felt his body heat. "Are you sure you're ready though?"

"Positive." He breathed, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"If you want to stop at any time, just let me know." She hummed in appreciation as he peppered kisses down her neck.

"Mhm." He mumbled.

"O-okay." She stuttered. She was supposed to be the experienced one here, so why did it feel like he was taking charge? She moaned as he found a tender spot on her neck.

She melted under his touch and she knew she was a goner.

**This one was hella long, that's my bad sorry guys. But guess what starts next chapter? That's right, the Winter Soldier arc.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve: Captain America: The Winter Soldier**

It had been months since Clara was kidnapped, and her summer vacation has just begun. Three whole months of just her and Steve.

Until he told her about his new mission.

"I'll be in DC for a few months." He sighed, rubbing his hand over her bare arm. Of course he told her in bed. Men, she scoffed internally.

"You're kidding." She sat up, holding the blanket up to cover herself. "Months?"

"Yeah, it's not ideal." He frowned.

"They couldn't find anyone else to help with this mission." She said flatly.

"Natasha and I are going to be working with the director. It's very hush hush, I can't even tell you anything about it. We can't trust any of the agents in the division right now, it's getting bad. We've had plans leaked for months." He looked irritated. "We have to nip this in the bud before HYDRA can assemble an attack."

"So you're just going to leave me here all summer?" She turned away from him.

"Clara, I'm telling you that I want you to come with." He smoothed his hand down her back. She shivered at the touch before turning back to him.

"How am I supposed to just leave my life here?" She frowned.

"Well, we can bring Richard." He mentioned.

"Steve, I don't know…" she frowned, thinking of her options.

"Just hear me out. I'll pay half your rent here, we move to an apartment in DC just for a few months. You'll be close to your dad, and you can still work on your lesson plans in DC. It's just for the summer." He coaxed, rubbing the sore spot between her shoulders. Damn him for knowing her weak spots.

"Hmm, you're driving a hard bargain here…" she murmured, leaning back into his touch. He kissed the nape of her neck, using both hands to massage her tense muscles.

"If it makes you feel better, Tony won't be there to burst in on us all the time."

"Deal!" She almost sounded too excited. The past four times alone had been awkward enough for her. How he'd even gotten a key to both of their apartments she'd never know.

"Perfect." He grinned triumphantly. "We leave next week."

….

"Don't go." Clara grumbled as Steve woke early. It was, what, five in the morning?

"I'm just going for a run." He cooed, kissing the top of her head. "I'll be back in a few hours." She fell back asleep as soon as she heard the door shut. A few hours later she woke on her own, preparing a big enough breakfast for the two of them to eat.

Their apartment in DC was nice, but not very homely. She sighed as she glanced at the clock. Steve was late. He'd been running late lately, and she figured he would tell her what was going on once he was ready. Speak of the devil, she heard the door unlocking. Since his last mission, he seemed a bit more broody.

"How was it?" She asked as he entered the apartment.

"Did about ten miles, then made a new friend." He mentioned.

"Really?" She asked, a little shocked. "What's their name?"

"He's Sam Wilson. He runs the same path as me. I probably lap him twelve times in an hour." He grinned.

"Always the overachiever." She rolled her eyes with a laugh.

"Hey, you never seem to complain." He stepped forward, putting his hands on her hips and squeezing. Her face heated up and she poked him in the chest.

"You were telling me about your new friend, remember?" She cleared her throat.

"Yeah, Sam. He's ex-military, so he kind of knows what I'm going through." He revealed. She smiled softly at him. She tried to help as much as she could, but no matter how much she sympathized she knew she'd never fully understand what he witnessed on the battlefield.

"You should invite him over for dinner sometime. I'd like to meet the man who brought you out of your funk." She smiled.

"My funk?" He frowned. "I don't have a funk."

"Oh, yes you do. Since your last mission you've gone all angsty on me." She said dryly. "Don't even try to deny it, I can tell."

"I'm sorry." Steve sighed. "I'm just realizing that even I'm getting left out of the loop sometimes. Stuff is going on way over my head."

"They're not even telling you about it?" Her eyebrows shot up. "That's worrisome."

"I know. Fury is getting suspicious about something, but I don't know what." Steve helped her finish making their breakfast, dropping the subject. They ate in silence. Clara didn't know how to help. She knew that this was bugging him, but she had nothing to give him to help. Steve got a text and had to leave soon after breakfast.

"I'm going to the store, do you want anything special for dinner?" She asked as he headed for the door.

"Surprise me. I'll call you when I'm on my way home." He called over his shoulder as he left. The door slammed behind him.

"What are you doing with your life, Clara?" She sighed to herself, feeling her eyes fill. She followed a man to a different city with nothing waiting for her, and his job required him to leave her hanging on such short notice. Their few months together were wonderful, but sometimes she just wanted to know where exactly it was going. She wiped the tears from her face. "Get it together, girl."

She would visit her dad, but she had seen him the day before and he was slowly going crazy from the amount she went to see him in the past month. So, her entire plan for the day was go grocery shopping. She quickly put a list together and headed out. The market she liked was just down the street, so she could walk there easily.

It took her a good few hours to slowly make her way around, but she had successfully wasted most of the day. After stopping at a cafe for lunch, she headed back to her apartment. Steve called as she made her way up the block.

"Hey, doll." He greeted warmly.

"Hey." She smiled through the phone. "You on your way home yet?"

"Yeah, I'll be there in five."

"Okay. See you soon. I miss you." She sighed.

"I miss you too. Okay, four minutes. Love you."

"Love you too." She smiled, hanging up. She could be upset for a few minutes, but he always seemed to make things better without even trying. She made her way up the stairs, more than she was used to in New York. It was good for her to exercise more, but it seemed excessive. She stood outside the door, rummaging for her keys when a familiar voice greeted her.

"Hey sweetheart." Steve approached, kissing her temple.

"Geez, you almost beat me home." She grumbled, letting him unlock the door and trailing inside after him. "How does pasta sound for tonight?" she beamed up at him, setting her grocery bags down on the counter.

"Sounds great." Both she and Steve whipped around to see Nick Fury seated on the couch.

"I don't remember giving you a key." Steve said cautiously.

"You really think I'd need one?" Nick replied dryly. "My wife kicked me out."

"I didn't know you were married." Steve replied. Clara stood there frozen. What exactly was going on?

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me." He said.

"I know, Nick. That's the problem." Steve flicked on the light switch, revealing Fury's injuries. Nick made a shushing motion towards him, and Steve turned the lamp off again. Nick showed his phone to Steve, revealing a drafted text. 'SHIELD compromised'. Clara read from behind Steve. Her blood ran cold. The people who were supposed to be helping them weren't good? "Who else knows about… your wife?"

"Just my friends." Nick replied, lifting his phone again to reveal another message. 'You and me'. Nick glanced at Clara, giving her another shushing motion.

"Is that what we are?" Steve asked cautiously.

"That's up to you." He replied. A split second later, three loud gunshots rang out and Clara screamed as Fury collapsed. Steve sprang into action, pushing Clara down behind the couch and pulling Steve to another area. "Don't.. trust… anyone." Fury forced out, pressing a flash drive into Steve's hand. The sound of someone entering the apartment caused Clara's blood to run cold.

"Captain Rogers?" Clara saw their neighbor Kate enter. She kept quiet, staying hidden behind the couch. Steve shot a panicked look to her before looking to the new intruder. "Captain, I'm Agent 13 of SHIELD special service."

"Kate?" He asked, and Clara recognized the confusion in his voice. Kate was holding a gun, pointing it in front of her.

"I've been assigned to protect you and Clara."

"On whose order?" He demanded, eyes flickering to the unresponsive director.

"His." She motioned to Fury. She lifted a walkie up to her lips. "Foxtrot is down. I need EMTs on location. And a transport." Kate looked towards Clara.

"Do you have a twenty on the shooter?" The person on the other end asked.

"Tell them I'm in pursuit." Steve stood, picking up his shield.

"Steve-" Clara started as she stood from her crouch.

"Be careful." He interrupted her.

"I should be telling you that." She frowned as he walked up to her.

"Stay with Kate. At any sign of trouble, you run, and you don't tell anyone where you're going. I'll find you when things are safe." he gave her a quick, but intense kiss. And then he was gone. Out the window like a bat out of hell. She was left with two virtual strangers. She pushed down her rush of panic before kneeling beside Fury, checking his pulse.

"We're going to bring you to one of Fury's safe houses. It's off the map. SHIELD wouldn't be aware of its existence." Kate murmured in her ear.

"Will Steve be okay?" She asked tearfully.

"I'm sure he's thinking the same thing about you right now." Kate chuckled and shook her head. "My real name is Sharon, by the way. Kate was a cover."

"Thank you for helping out, Sharon." Clara sniffled, hearing sirens approaching.

"I'm just doing my job." The other woman replied.

….

Clara was in another windowless room. She was told to stay in the panic room of Fury's safe house until Sharon came back for her. She was not to open the door for anyone except Sharon or Steve. Her cellphone had her location disabled, and if someone called her she was supposed to leave the phone there and run to her secondary location. She had been told to find one herself, and was warned against going to somewhere she was associated with. Clara flipped through the most recent yellow pages, looking for a specific name. She found it quickly.

Wilson, Samuel. She ripped the page out from the book and folded it, stuffing it into her bra for safekeeping. She put the book back into the drawer she found it in and sat again, waiting for _something. _Anything, really. She decided to take out the book again, ripping out a few pages to practice some origami. She was rusty, but managed a few pitifully wrinkled cranes.

Her phone rang.

It was Steve.

"H-hello?" She answered, knowing she only had a few moments to spare before she was supposed to run for her life.

"Clara." His voice oozed relief. "Listen, I need you to get out of there. Don't trust anyone. Things will be better by tomorrow, I promise I'll come find you, just be careful."

"Don't worry. I'm going." She promised, getting up to peek out the doorway of the room.

"Clara? I love you." Steve's voice softened.

"I love you too." She replied, but the line had already gone dead. She tossed the phone back onto the table and crept out of the safe house. She made it outside and past the next house before she heard someone arrive. She acted as nonchalant as possible as a black SUV pulled up in front of the house.

"Torch it." She heard someone from inside the car say. The window was rolled down, and someone exited, glancing in her direction.

"Wait for that girl to pass. We don't need any witnesses." Another person spoke from inside the car.

"Should we apprehend her?" The first person spoke. She was further away now, pretending like she couldn't hear.

"Don't bother. Just make sure nobody sees what causes the fire. And make sure the girls still inside." Clara turned the corner before breaking into a sprint, running towards a more populated area. She made sure to get inside of a store before she pulled the address page from her shirt.

"Did you see that SHIELD got taken down? All their files are uploaded on the internet, it's insane." Someone said. Clara froze, listening in on the conversation.

"I've never even heard of SHIELD or HYDRA before today." Their companion replied. Clara looked over the address before deciding the two were safe to approach.

"Hello, Miss?" Clara asked one of them.

"Yes?" She looked a bit confused.

"Could you direct me towards Reid Street? I seem to be a little lost and my phone is dead." She lied through her teeth.

"Oh, I think it's about four streets to the east." She replied.

"Thank you so much, have a nice night ladies." She nodded at them, letting them continue to browse the books as she left. Cutting through an alley, she looked around the building in case anyone was tailing her.

They weren't.

She walked the few blocks over, thankful it was close to where she was. It took her a mere thirty minutes to arrive outside the door of the person she hoped was Sam Wilson. She held her breath as she knocked. After a moment, someone answered the door. She really hoped that person was Sam. Otherwise this would be awkward as hell.

"Hey, Sam! I haven't seen you since high school!" She greeted loudly.

"Oh, uh, I'm sorry, I don't quite recognize you. Who are you?" He asked.

"It's Felicity! Remember? We had general chem together? We were partners!" She continued to lie as she saw another black SUV slow near the house. She was sure they were listening somehow, but they passed without stopping. "Mind if I come in?" She all but pushed him aside and shut the door behind them.

"What is- what's going on?" He asked, backing away, but held a defensive pose.

"I need help." She lost her fake-friendly voice. "I'm-you're Sam Wilson, right?" She asked.

"Yeah, and who the hell are you?" He demanded.

"I'm Clara, I don't know if Steve mentioned me." She shook her head.

"Oh shit, you're the Captain's girl? What's going on, where is he? I saw on the news that shit hit the fan, but I haven't heard from him." He rubbed the top of his head.

"I-I don't really know what's happening." To her horror, tears began to sting in her eyes. "Steve-someone got _killed_, and then he had to go, so then SHIELD took me to a safe house but it got compromised, so I had to come somewhere safe that no one would ever think to look for me, and you're the only friendly name I could think of to look up. I'm so sorry to intrude, I just have nowhere else to go." She sobbed.

"Hey, Hey, it's okay." Sam shushed her, patting her arm as she wept. "You can stay here, it's no problem. How about you go get cleaned up and I'll make you some tea or hot chocolate or something, okay?"

"O-okay. T-thank you." She hiccuped.

"Here, the main floor bathroom is right over here." He led her to the door and let her go inside. She shut the door behind her and gripped the edge of the sink. She looked up at her sunken expression, her cheeks blotchy and stained with tears. She quickly washed her face off, patting it dry with a paper towel. She crumpled it up and threw it away, then moved to the window. She peered out, but didn't see any obvious sign of someone watching the house. She took a few deep breaths, moving the curtain back in front of the glass before leaving the bathroom. Sam stood in front of the range, putting the kettle on the flame.

"Thank you. Sorry for freaking out on you." She slid into a seat at the table.

"It's no problem. It's definitely something that I can understand you having a little bit of a panic attack over. I'm honestly surprised you're doing as well as you are." He sat across from her.

"I honestly have no idea what to do next." She confessed. "Steve said he'd come find me when everything's okay again, but… I don't know how he will."

"So who exactly is after you?"

"I think HYDRA?" She frowned. "I don't know if that's 100% correct but that's the impression I'm under."

"Seems about right." He breathed out a laugh. "You should be safe here. There's no way they'd think there's a connection between us. This is the first time we've met, anyways."

"I just have to find somewhere to go next. The longer I'm here, the closer they'll be able to get." She frowned. "Can I rent a car with cash?"

"Nope. But you can borrow mine for free." Sam offered.

"What? No, I can't let you do that." She frowned and shook her head.

"Look. If I know you're getting the hell out of here safe and in a relatively safe car, I'd feel a lot better."

"But it's your car," she sighed. "I can't let you give that to me. I don't even know where I'll be going."

"How about nowhere?" He smirked.

"What do you mean?" She furrowed her eyebrows.

"Hear me out. If you just drive around town tomorrow, no destination, just wait it out, you'll be safe to come back here in the evening. Nobody's going to be looking for you just driving around without any destination in mind."

"That's…" she struggled to find the words she wanted to use. "Somehow that's a really good idea."

"See, I'm a genius." He tapped his temple. "Now how about some of that tea?"

**Clara and Bucky won't really have much interaction, just because he is in the Winter Soldier mode and she's definitely not a fighter. Of course Steve is going to send her away from the fight to be safe. And since this mainly takes place between Clara and Steve, she's not really going to be there when he confronts his "enemies". Don't be mad, I love Bucky to bits, but it's just not his story.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen: The Winter Soldier**

"You're joking." Sam deadpanned as he opened the door. "You just missed her."

"What?" Steve questioned. He and Natasha had just arrived at Sam's house, the only place they thought would be safe. "Missed who?"

"Clara? She was hiding out here, she just left."

"Clara was here?!" Steve burst. Oh god, where was she now? Was she okay? "Why didn't she stay, what's going on?"

"Calm down Rogers." Natasha patted his arm.

"She's in my car driving around town. We figured if anyone was looking for her they wouldn't think she was just in the streets of DC." Sam revealed.

"Not a bad plan." Natasha nodded at him.

"Where is she going to go?" Steve demanded.

"She plans to come back here tonight sometime." Sam shrugged. "Other than that, she should be safe."

"Can we lay low here? Everyone is kind of trying to kill us right now." Steve sighed.

"Not everyone." Sam grinned at the pair. "I made breakfast. If you guys eat that sort of thing." He frowned, gesturing them towards the kitchen.

"So the question is, who in SHIELD could launch a domestic missile strike?" Natasha posed her question as they sat around the table.

"Pierce." Steve replied.

"Who happens to be sitting on top of the most secure building in the world." Nat said dryly.

"He's not working alone though, Zola's algorithm was on the Lemurian Star." Steve mentioned.

"So was Jasper Sitwell." Natasha shook her head.

"Here's the real question: how do the two most wanted people in Washington kidnap a SHIELD officer in broad daylight?" Steve hummed.

"The answer is, you don't." Sam tossed a file onto the table in front of the pair. Steve looked up at him questioningly, fingers placed on the top hesitantly. "Call it a resume." Sam explained. Natasha pulled the file from under Steve's hand and flipped through it.

"You didn't mention he was a para-rescue." Natasha said aside to Steve.

"Is this Riley?" Steve pointed to a picture of Sam and another person.

"Yeah." Sam nodded.

"I thought they couldn't bring in choppers because of the RPGs. Did you use stealth chutes?" She questioned.

"No." Sam handed over another file. "We used these." He said as Steve opened the new file. Both he and Natasha raised their eyebrows.

"I thought you said you were a pilot." Steve frowned.

"Never said pilot." Sam shrugged with a smirk.

"I can't ask you to do this. You got out, Sam."

"And now I'm going back in. Captain America needs my help, there's no better reason in my book." Sam explained. "Plus, the sooner you get Clara out of this mess the better. She's a civilian caught up in this, dude. You should've had a better contingency plan than to let her run around on her own." Steve winced. "I'm gonna help you get back on track so you can get the hell out of dodge." Natasha smirked at Sam's reaction.

"Where can we get our hands on one of these things?" Steve questioned.

"Last one is in fort Meade behind three guarded gates and a twelve inch steel door." Sam replied dryly.

"Shouldn't be a problem." Steve tossed the file labeled 'Falcon' back onto the table before standing.

"So how did Clara find you?" Natasha asked as they readied themselves to get their newest plan in action.

"Hell if I know. That girl had a yellow pages and she wasn't afraid to barge into my house. Seems like you make quite the pair with her, Captain." Sam's eyes glittered with mirth.

"Don't I know it." Steve chuckled.

…

Clara swore at the stupid flat tire.

"Of course Sam lets me borrow his care when his tire is about to bust." She muttered to herself, attempting to get the spare from the boot without seriously injuring herself. Since when were tires so heavy? She managed to toss it out, nearly hitting a man walking on the sidewalk. He merely stopped and looked at it as she gasped. "Oh my god, sir I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there, are you alright?" She gushed. He had longer hair, and his clothes were a little tattered, some stubble on his cheeks. He must have lost one of his gloves, because he only had one on.

"I'm fine." He mumbled as she stared at him, waiting.

"Thank god for small miracles." She chuckled, pulling the jack from the trunk and attempting to set it up under the car. "Oh geez, I haven't done this in years." She muttered to herself, sitting back on her heels, wondering if she put it in the right spot. She felt herself get nudged to the side as the man she almost hit with the tire readjusted it, putting it into the correct position before jacking up the car for her. "Oh, you don't have to do that." She placed her hand on his arm without the glove, and he paused for a second before continuing what he was doing.

"You looked confused." He said quietly, taking the bolts off the flat and removing it, fitting the new one on easily.

"Thank you so much." She felt struck dumb. "I'm Clara." She introduced herself, feeling like it was the least she could do. He was quiet for a moment.

"James." He responded.

"Um, well, have a good day then, James." She smiled awkwardly, and he nodded back to her before turning. She looked down to pick up the flat and throw it into the trunk. When she turned back around, James was gone. "That was so odd." She mumbled, picking up everything and putting it all away. She got back into the car and continued to Sam's house, where she planned to sleep until the next day.

The lights were out when she arrived, and she became nervous knowing that he wasn't there. She parked in the driveway and headed inside, not turning any lights on in fear of attracting unwanted attention. She moved to the bedroom she stayed in the night before, collapsing into the bed and closing her eyes.

It was until much earlier the next morning that anyone else entered the home. She slept too soundly to hear the footsteps approaching her bed, but when a familiar weight settled at the edge of the bed she didn't even have to open her eyes to know it was finally safe. She wrapped her arms around Steve's torso, snuggling into his lap.

"Is it over?" She murmured.

"It's finally over." He sighed back to her. They hadn't seen each other in a cool 24 hours, but it felt like longer to her.

"When did my life get so complicated." She grumbled into his thigh. He chuckled and patted her head.

"I think that's my fault, sweetheart." Steve sighed. "You did good, though. I'm glad you stayed safe. It's pretty impressive, I'll admit."

"I'm full of surprises." She grinned, finally sitting up with a yawn. "What do we do now?"

"Pack up and head back to New York. Stark insists we assemble the avengers in the tower from now on, now that SHIELD is defunct." He explained.

"So, what, you're moving into the tower now?"

"We are moving into the tower, yes." Steve corrected.

"I don't remember agreeing to this."

"I never agreed either, but if I'm going I'm not letting you out of my sight for a second. Besides, it's the most secure building in the world right now." Steve coaxed. "If you're surrounded by good guys you're never going to have to fight. We'll do it all for you."

"The tower is closer to the school." She mused.

"See? You're already noticing all the upsides." Steve grinned at her. "Plus Richard will have a better view."

"You're ridiculous." She rolled her eyes. "I followed you to DC, why not a few blocks up?" She joked.

"That's the spirit!" He cheered, causing her to burst into laughter. "I already asked Sam if he'd like to join. He said yes."

"I like Sam, he's a great guy." She commented.

"Should I be worried?" Steve quirked an eyebrow. Clara rolled her eyes.

"Trust me, I think you're the only guy crazy enough to fall for me." She grumbled, toying with the sleeve on his shirt. "You know," she added, "I don't think I've ever seen you in the suit. I saw you, very distantly on the news with the whole getup."

"That suit has been packed away already." Steve shook his head.

"If you want me to move into Stark tower with you, you're putting the suit on for me." She bribed.

"Do I really have to?" He whined, bringing out the puppy dog eyes. She pursed her lips, bringing out her stern face.

"Yes. I think your butt looks nice in it." She admitted.

"You think my butt looks nice in everything." He grumbled, pushing her shoulder.

"Hey! Don't push me or I'll push you right back." She shoved at him, barely making him budge.

"Is that all you got?" He teased. She scrunched her face up in that way he loved, and she was determined to pin him. He just sat there and took it as she stretched and pushed and pulled, attempting to at least get his back to hit the bed.

"What the hell are you made out of, stone?" She growled, finally giving up and flopping over his lap.

"Not sure. I'll let you know when I find out." He dug his fingers into her sides, tickling mercilessly. She laughed and squealed until someone cleared their throat in the doorway. They both looked up sheepishly to see Sam standing there.

"If y'all are done playing like children, there is breakfast waiting at the table." Sam smirked at them.

"Where did you go last night?" She asked, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

"If you aren't aware, you're looking at the newest and brightest member of the Avengers." He grinned, showing off his pearly white teeth.

"What's your superpower? Being nice?" Clara stood and crossed the room, teasing him.

"Actually he saved my butt yesterday. He's sort of a whiz with this flying contraption." Steve announced, ushering the two down the stairs and to the waiting breakfast table.

"It's not a flying contraption, it is called a Falcon Suit." Sam replied dryly.

"Very interesting." Clara hummed, pouring herself a glass of orange juice. "So, you're joining us all at Stark Tower?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world. Not much waiting for me here, anyways." Sam shrugged.

"Whatever you do, don't become good friends with Tony. Please, I don't think my sanity could take it if I have to see him more than once every few days." Clara announced dramatically.

"If you do, make sure he doesn't barge in at inappropriate times like he does currently." Steve muttered, pouring syrup on his pancakes.

"How many times has he caught you with your pants down?" Sam asked teasingly, causing Steve to go bright red and Clara to laugh hysterically.

"Five and counting." He replied with a sigh. Her laugh got even more out of control as Sam spit out some of his water.

"Dude, lock the door!" He wiped up the spit from the table.

"He… has… keys!" Clara gasped out, wiping a tear from her eye.

"That's a real problem. He needs some lessons in privacy." Sam shook his head.

"Tell me about it." Steve shook his head.

Clara thought if life would be like this from now on, it wouldn't be so bad.

But of course things could never go as planned.

….

"That is enough, Steve." Clara threw her pillow at him from across the room. "Do you know how hard it is to not know where you are at any moment of the day?" She demanded.

"Clara I'm sorry, but this is my _job_." He pleaded with her.

"You don't think I know that? I'm not asking you to quit being Captain America, but standing me up on our anniversary with no word from you was a low blow!" She screamed. She wasn't mad, not really, but she was upset, and somehow that was even worse for both of them.

"I promise it won't happen again." He stepped forward with a soothing tone.

"But you _can't._" She stopped flinging things and sat on the side of their bed, defeated. "Do you know how worried I was?" The tears were finally beginning to fall.

"Clara, please don't cry." He came closer. She held her hand up, stopping him from coming any closer.

"I just need to think. For a minute." She scrubbed her hands down her face, definitely smudging her makeup. She didn't really care at that point. She had gotten ready for their six-month anniversary date five hours ago, putting on a brand new dress. It was shiny and off the shoulder and black, and it cinched her waist before flaring out to mid-thigh. When she bought it, she had been too excited to wear it out.

Now she just wanted to toss it out the window along with her pride.

She had waited on their floor in Stark tower for hours. Everyone had been gone when she got home from school, but she hadn't thought twice about it, knowing everyone was busy with their own schedules. What did surprise her, however, was when nobody returned for hours. JARVIS was not allowed to tell her anything about where they were, and she practically wore a hole in the carpet with all her pacing.

"Clara." Steve's voice was gentle. He was still wearing his suit. She squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath.

"I'm okay." She shook her head.

"I'm really sorry I missed our anniversary." He apologized.

"If that's what you think I'm upset about then you really aren't getting it, Steve." She stood up again, stalking towards the closet and picking up a pair of pajamas. She moved towards the door.

"Where are you going?" He moved forward to grab her arm.

"I'm going to crash on Sam's couch. I'll see you in the morning." She shook him off before heading to the elevator. Thankfully, he didn't follow. She didn't think her tears would stop if he had attempted to apologize for the wrong thing again. When the doors opened she stepped inside.

"Which floor Miss Schmidt?" JARVIS asked.

"Wilson's floor, please." She replied. It was silent in the shaft as the elevator smoothly brought her down three floors, and she heard JARVIS announce her arrival before he opened the doors for her. She quietly thanked the AI before exiting.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes." Sam joked, but paused when he saw her face and her pajamas clutched in a death grip. "What's going on?"

"Can I crash here for the night?" She smiled meekly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Sam had never witnessed Clara and Steve in a fight before.

"Trust me, I talked enough to the brick wall upstairs to last me a lifetime." She retorted.

"What'd he do?" Sam asked.

"More like what he didn't do." Clara sighed with a yawn.

"Well, he didn't get hurt on that mission, I can tell you that." He shrugged.

"I know." She closed her eyes. "He just doesn't realize that he can't just disappear when I'm expecting him and then want me to be waiting with open arms when it's convenient for him."

"Oh." Sam winced. This was more difficult than he'd imagined.

"I mean, I've given up a lot for him. I've never asked anything in return except for basic respect, and it just… I feel like I'm a military bride." She sniffled. "I'm always waiting and waiting and it's like… he doesn't even tell me anything, you know? I'm waiting for him to come home, I'm waiting for him to tell me what's going on, I'm waiting for him to let me help him, and when I try he just brushes it off." The tears came out again. "I'm tired of waiting, Sam. I'm so tired." She sobbed, and he came forward, wrapping her up in a warm hug.

"Hang on, imma make you some tea and then you can shower and change, alright?" He said.

"Okay." She replied weakly.

"I've never seen you two in a fight before." He commented as he put the kettle on.

"I don't know if it's a fight if it's just me yelling at him." She chuckled sadly. "I could've handled that better. I threw some pillows at him."

"Claire, I throw stuff at that man all day long. I'm sure pillows are playthings at this point." Sam used his nickname for her. He placed a mug in front of her and she breathed in the sweet steam.

"I've never yelled at him like that. Sure, I've gotten frustrated, but not like this." She hung her head.

"Well sometimes you have to yell to let it all out. You know what, next time just call me up and I'll take you to the roof so you can just scream it out. Sound good?" He asked as she quickly drank the tea.

"Sounds peachy." She smiled drowsily as she finished her cup.

"Okay, you go shower, I'll grab you some extra blankets and a pillow and put them on the couch." He grinned, walking to the hall closet.

"You're a good friend, Wilson." She smiled.

"You know, I try." He joked back as she headed for the guest bathroom. She stepped into the already steaming hot shower and stood there for a long time, letting the hot water melt away all her tension.

When she got out, she toweled off and frowned sadly at her gorgeous satin dress that never got to see the outside world. She put on her pajamas she brought along and folded the dress over her arm, draping it over a chair as she settled into her cold empty couch for the evening. She felt stupid now, walking out on Steve like that. She just felt… defeated.

He hadn't even done anything to upset her. She just went psycho for no reason.

"God Clara, you're such a freak." She whispered, pressing the heels of her palms into her eyes, trying to stifle the tears. It didn't take her long to fall asleep, crying like that exhausted her. And apparently, it would take her even longer to wake up the next morning. At least it was a Saturday.

It was nearing ten when she got up and decided to go back to her and Steve's floor. That was if he even wanted to see her ever again.

"Which floor Miss?" JARVIS asked.

"My floor, please." She said weakly, her nice dress folded over her arm again. It was quiet in their apartment. She walked in with silent feet, hoping Steve was out working out or something. She felt embarrassed at her actions.

"Good morning." She heard Steve call to her. She winced, turning towards the kitchen where he was seated at the island smiling towards her.

"Morning." She greeted lamely.

"How did you sleep?" He asked.

"Fine." She replied uncomfortably. She stood there with her dress in her arms, fingers playing across the silky material. "Steve, look." She sighed. "I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"Don't. Don't be sorry." Steve cut her off, standing from his stool. "Don't ever apologize for letting me know how you feel. It's important to me that you let me know when things like that bother you." She stared down at her feet, feeling her throat get tight as tears filled her eyes again.

"Don't deny that I could have brought it up in a better way." She chuckled sadly.

"I think you really got your point across. It's hard to ignore what you're saying when I'm dodging one of your pillows." He joked. She snorted out a laugh and looked up at him. "I'm going to try harder, I promise. There's just something I need to tell you first."

**She gets told about Bucky! ****_After_**** she already met him by pure chance of course, I couldn't help myself and I had to slip in a little bit about him right after the fight between Bucky and Steve. We all deserve a little bit of sweet Bucky being a helpful gentleman once in a while.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen: Avengers: Age of Ultron**

Steve had been searching for Bucky for a while, but he was gone without a trace. Life seemed to get in the way of his search as well, as he prepped for a mission.

"How long are you going to be away?" Clara pouted, laying enticingly across their bed. God, he'd never get used to that. Their bed. Their apartment. Their relationship, even. She was perfect for him, almost too perfect. He couldn't think of anything that he cared about more than her. If he had to choose between the safety of his country and her life, he'd choose her every time. "Earth to Cap, you still with me?" She commented as he'd never answered her question.

"A few days." He smiled sheepishly.

"Ugh." She groaned, dropping her head down into her pillow. Yeah, he'd do anything to be able to stay in bed with her all morning. But life just continued to interrupt him.

"Mr. Rogers, Mr. Stark is on his way up to retrieve you for the Sokovian mission." JARVIS announced. Clara groaned again, and Steve smiled at her reaction.

"I'll try and call when I can." Steve promised, leaning down to kiss her. Then he kissed her nose, her cheek, her jawline, and it was only a matter of moments before they were making out like teenagers.

"Come on you guys, JARVIS even announced I was coming this time. It's like you want me to see you in action." Tony called from the doorway of their bedroom.

"You ever heard of knocking, Stark?" Clara groaned.

"You're living in my tower, Teach. I think I get away without knocking. Cap, suit up, we've got important things to retrieve." Tony waltzed into the bedroom. Clara sat up as Steve headed towards the closet. "Wait, you keep your super suit in the bedroom closet?"

"Where else would I keep it?" Steve called as he closed the door behind him.

"I don't know, a hidden panel? On a mannequin in the living room?" Tony offered.

"Or maybe just a drawer in my dresser." Steve walked out in a brand new suit.

"When did you get this!" Clara sat up onto her knees, peering over the new material appreciatively.

"Last week. Yours truly designed a new suit with special tech to prevent bullet wounds and debris injuries." Tony grinned at her.

"It's very nice." She nodded at it, peering around at how his butt looked in it.

"Um, ew, excuse me, I'm in the room still. Please ogle your boyfriend on your own time." Clara stuck her tongue out at him. "Okay Spangles, we've got to get a move on. Katniss is getting impatient with your lollygagging."

"I'll see you in a few days." Steve walked over to Clara again, kissing the top of her head before following Tony out the door. She held back a sigh as she watched him go. The suit really made his butt look great. His everything looked great. She hated to see him go but loved to watch him leave, honestly.

Once they had left the floor, Clara stood up and stretched, leaving bed for the first time that morning. Usually she and Steve had lazy Sundays and they stayed in bed all morning, but that particular morning he had to leave.

"JARVIS, please play some music." she announced as she walked towards the kitchen, preparing to make some breakfast. She decided toast and eggs would be easy enough. After looking around at some clutter, she figured she might as well clean while Steve was gone. Picking up some of their laundry, she brought it to their washer and separated by color. She made sure to empty the pockets of their pants. She found a bunch of change in Steve's pants, why did he always have quarters in his pocket? She threw it into a jar, picking up the next pair, and-what was that.

She pulled out a small jewelry box.

Oh _god_, what was that?

It was navy and velvet, and it felt surprisingly heavy in her hand. She was scared to look inside. Her curiosity got the best of her, and she flipped the lid.

She gasped.

A large oval cut diamond sat on a silver band, small opals surrounding the gem.

"Oh my god, _Steve_." she choked audibly. She stared at it for another minute before flipping the lid closed again. What should she do with it? She glanced around, seeing his jacket hanging by the door. She quickly slipped the box in the pocket. "Oh my god, oh my god." she muttered, pacing the room. What was she supposed to do? She saw it! She wasn't supposed to see it! God, why did she look? When did he buy it? Was he going to propose soon? She nearly screamed with frustration. "JARVIS, is Pepper here?" she asked quickly.

"Miss Potts is in the gym currently."

"Thank you." she breathed out, quickly changing into some shorts, a tank top, and sneakers before running down the stairs. She couldn't handle the elevator currently. She wasn't very close with the woman, but she was the only one that she knew was at the tower. Once she made it to the training floor, she ran to the gym that she knew Pepper jogged in. Once she arrived she was terribly out of breath, but the strawberry blonde noticed her state and immediately hopped off the treadmill.

"What's wrong?" she looked alarmed.

"I did a bad thing. I looked at it, I knew I shouldn't have looked." she shook her head frantically.

"Looked at what, what did you see?" Pepper tried to coax it out of her. Clara took a few deep breaths before replying.

"I-I-I was doing the laundry, and I emptied Steve's pockets, you know? But I found a ring box." Pepper gasped.

"Oh no, and you _looked_?" she looked horrified and intrigued at the same time.

"It was an engagement ring!" she burst out. Pepper nearly screamed, then crushed her into a hug.

"Oh my god, that's wonderful, that's so wonderful." she gushed. She released her after a moment, and Clara dropped her head.

"I saw it, Pepper! He's going to know!" she moaned.

"No he won't. I'm gonna help you through this." she patted her on the head. "But what did it look like? What was the cut?" Pepper gushed again.

"Oh god, it was oval and big and beautiful with opals all around it. It's _gorgeous_." Clara groaned out. "I can't get it out of my head."

"How long have you two been together now? Eight months?" Pepper asked.

"No, it's almost eleven months now." she scratched the back of her neck.

"Oh, that's a good amount of time to propose after, especially since you're already living together." she thought aloud.

"It is?" she asked.

"Well, yes." Pepper laughed. "I'll admit, it's a bit soon, but he has met your family, and, well, you two have known each other for a year now."

"That's true. I've never really been engaged so I'm not really sure how this stuff is supposed to work out." Clara laughed sheepishly.

"Trust me, you don't want him taking as long as Tony is with me." she said dryly.

"Pepper, I think you might have to take charge with that one. Propose to yourself in his place, and then just tell him that you're getting married." Clara grinned.

"You know," Pepper mused, "that's not a bad idea."

….

"Welcome home!" Clara grinned as she got home from work. Steve had apparently just gotten back, still in his suit. "You know, I really do like the new suit." she appraised him. It was almost indecent how tightly it hugged the contours of his body. "But I'm not quite sure how I feel about you prancing around in it where anyone can see you."

"It's fine." Steve chuckled. "And I do not prance around. I'm a soldier, in case you forgot." he huffed.

"Sure, sure, I believe you." she smirked and crossed the room over to him, standing on her tiptoes to press a kiss against his lips.

"Tony's having another of his soirees tonight." Steve mentioned. Clara chuckled.

"Of course he is, what's the occasion?" she wrapped her arms around him.

"Thor is in town for a while." he revealed.

"Oh, he hasn't come around in a while." Clara mentioned, tucking her head into his chest.

"He was pretty helpful on this last mission." Steve shrugged. "It'd be nice to have him around more."

"If Thor sticks around, I think there'd be too many strong hunky blonde men in this tower." she smiled wryly.

"Don't make me jealous." Steve grinned teasingly.

"You've got nothing to worry about." she rolled her eyes. "Thor has Jane."

"Okay, just get ready, I want to see everyone." Steve poked her. She rolled her eyes. "I don't know if I have anything to wear."

"Anything." he joked.

"You have to change too, you know." she pursed her lips.

"I know, I know."

"Showing your butt like that in public is indecent." she swatted his backside.

"Hey!" his face turned red. She grinned at him, pulling him down to her level and kissing him hard.

"I missed you." she breathed.

"I missed you too." he said between kisses.

"You left me with this brief look at the brand new handsome suit, don't you know how much that tortured me when you were gone?"

"Probably as much as it killed me to leave you laying in bed." he replied in a husky tone, pressing her back into the wall.

"Didn't you just tell me to hurry up and get ready?" she sighed as his body crushed into hers.

"They can wait. This is much, much more important."

….

"You ready?" Steve called to her from the bedroom. She was putting her earrings in, sitting on the counter of their vanity in the ensuite bathroom.

"I'll be out in a second!" she called back, hopping down. She smoothed out the white linen dress and appraised her outfit for a moment. The dress tied around her waist, and the top was buttoned like a dress shirt. She left the top two undone, an emerald on a chain winking around her neck. She had matching dangling earrings in, and her hair was pulled back into a slightly frizzy, curly bun.

"It's been many seconds." Steve knocked. She huffed and went to open the door.

"Well, I'm ready now." she smiled, raking her eyes up and down his clothes. Fitted black slacks, shiny dress shoes, and a navy button down. "You look handsome."

"Thank you, you bought me this shirt." he smoothed his hands over the buttons. "You look gorgeous in that, is it new?"

"No, I just don't usually wear it." she shrugged. "I'm scared I'll stain it since it's white."

"I'll make sure you don't." he smiled, tugging her forwards by pulling on her hips. "I've got something to show you." his smile faltered, and her heart stopped. Oh god, was this the moment he would do it? Was he about to propose?

"What is it?" she asked nervously.

"Well, it's…" he led her to the living room. Sitting there was a gigantic cat tree, Richard lounging on the top.

"Oh." she swallowed her disappointment, turning to smile at Steve. "He looks so happy up there." she laughed.

"Is everything okay?" he asked with a frown.

"Yes, yeah, I just didn't know what to expect." she chuckled, giving him a genuine smile that time. "Who's all going to be at this party again?"

"Well, Jane and Pepper are both away right now, so Nat and Maria will be the only other ladies there." Steve mentioned. "But almost everyone else will be there."

"Sam?" she mentioned her best friend.

"He should be." Steve steered her towards the elevator. "Now, we're already late. I'm sure Rhodey has started his War Machine stories."

He had. They caught the tail end of his story that no one laughed at the punchline.

"Come on, that story always kills!" Rhodey groaned.

"That's the whole story?" Thor's voice rumbled through the room like thunder. Very fitting.

"Yes. It's a War Machine story." Rhodey sighed.

"Oh! Well, it's very good then." he laughed. "Very impressive."

"Yeah, nice save." Rhodey grumbled. "Is Pepper not coming?" Rhodey asked Tony as Steve and Clara joined their circle.

"No." Tony didn't elaborate.

"What about Jane?" Maria asked. "Where are all the ladies, gentlemen?"

"Miss Potts has a company to run." Tony knocked back half of his whiskey as he said this. Clara felt her chest tighten. Pepper had mentioned there was an issue between them, and that she had to leave for business. But Pepper had given her explicit instructions to call as soon as anything happened with the ring.

"I'm not even sure where Jane is at the moment. Her work on the convergence has made her the world's foremost astronomer." Thor added.

"Well, she is quite impressive." Clara complimented, enjoying the way Thor beamed.

"The company that Pepper runs is the largest tech conglomerate on earth." Tony one-upped his friend. "It's pretty exciting."

"There's even talk of Jane getting the, uh." Thor tilted his head back in thought. "Nobel prize." he beamed as he finished. Clara sunk further into Steve's side. A CEO, Secret Agent, Astrophysicist, Assassin, and grade school teacher. She really stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Yeah, they must be busy because they'd hate to miss you guys getting together." Maria said, coughing something under her breath that sounded a lot like 'testosterone'. She and Rhodey had a small conversation before walking away from the group.

"But, Jane is better." Thor said.

Clara smiled softly at Steve before steering him away from the bickering pair.

"I thought you said it would be an Avengers gathering?" she asked.

"Well, and a few other people." Steve nodded towards a group of strangers. The penthouse was nearly filled with people, the bar alone hidden from view from where they stood.

"I can see that." she sighed, looking down at her outfit. She was a bit underdressed for the occasion. They saw Sam, and motioned him over, catching up on the mission. The two spoke mostly in code, save for a few details, so Clara was pretty lost the entire time. She sipped her drink slowly, watching as the night dragged on as people began to leave. She watched as Bruce approached Natasha, them having a hushed conversation full of secret smiles and obvious attraction. She couldn't hear, but Steve definitely could.

"It's nice." Steve dragged her over to Bruce after Nat had walked off.

"What's nice?" he asked, sipping his drink.

"You and Natasha." Clara interjected with a smile, hopping onto a stool next to him as Steve leaned on the bar behind her.

"No, we haven't, that wasn't…" Bruce attempted to brush them off.

"It's okay, nobody's breaking any by-laws." Steve grinned. "She's just not the most… open person in the world." he shrugged.

"But she seems relaxed with you." Clara added.

"No, Natasha just likes to flirt." Banner shook his head.

"I've seen her flirt. Up close. That ain't it. Look, as maybe the world's leading authority on 'waiting too long', you should go for it." he leaned over Clara to pat his shoulder. "You both deserve a win."

"Wait." Clara turned suddenly with a frown, staring up at Steve. "What do you mean 'up close'?"

…..

"It's a trick!" Clint gestured towards Thor's hammer as it sat innocently on the table.

"No, no. It's much more than that." Thor shook his head with a knowing grin.

"Uh, 'whosoever be he worthy shall haveth the power'?" Clint scoffed. "Whatever man, it's a trick."

"Be my guest." the tallest blonde gestured towards Mjolnir.

"Come on." Tony groaned.

"Really?" Clint stood as Thor nodded at him.

"This is gonna be beautiful." Rhodey grinned.

"Clint, you've had a tough week." Tony called out. "We won't blame you if you can't get it up." the room laughed at his words, and Clara lightly slapped his arm at the crude humor. Clint approached the hammer, taking both hands on the handle and pulling as hard as he could.

It didn't even budge.

"I still don't know how you do it." Clint chuckled at Thor.

"Smell the silent treatment?" Tony commented.

"Please, Stark, by all means." Clint put his hands up and motioned Tony to the hammer.

"Is it bad I really want to see him fail?" Clara whispered to Steve. He laughed and squeezed her thigh, scooting closer.

"It's basic physics." he sniffed, wrapping the leather strap around his wrist before pulling. Of course it didn't move. Not even a little bit. After trying both his and Rhodey's suits together, he finally gave up. Banner went next, roaring out in attempt to bring out his big green alter ego, but no dice.

"Close but no cigar." Clara whispered to Steve.

"Come on, Steve, no pressure." Tony gestured for him to stand and try. Clara squeezed his hand with a grin as he walked over. He walked over, putting both hands on the handle.

"Come on, Cap!" Rhodey cheered him on. Steve yanked with both hands, a small squeaking noise sounding as it budged.

He moved it. Clara gaped, and Thor's face fell a minuscule amount, but he ultimately was unable to lift it.

"See? Nothing." Thor laughed with relief as Steve let go.

"Widow?" Bruce motioned towards Natasha.

"No, that's not a question I need answered today." she shook her head, looking to Clara.

"No thanks, out of shape teacher over here." she laughed uncomfortably. Nat shrugged at her as Tony scoffed.

"All deference to the man who wouldn't be king, but it's rigged." he complained.

"You bet your ass." Clint pointed at Tony.

"Steve, he said a bad language word." Maria grinned to Steve. He flushed and turned towards Tony.

"Did you tell everyone about that?" he frowned. Clara furrowed her eyebrows. She was a bit out of the loop.

"The handle's imprinted, right?" Tony ignored his friend's question. "Like a security code."

"Fascinating theory." Thor stood with a grin. "But I have a simpler one." he gripped the handle and lifted Mjolnir with practiced ease. "You're all simply not worthy." he boasted. They all stood, laughing at Thor's antics. A loud squealing noise echoed through the penthouse, and everyone looked at each other, covering their ears. Clara glanced up at Steve, and he gave her a worried look, moving his body closer in front of hers. Once the noise subsided, they all dropped their hands, keeping quiet in confusion. A metallic creaking noise sounded from the doorway.

"Worthy…" a robotic sounding voice echoed through the room. Steve pressed Clara's body behind him. "No, how could you be? You're all killers." the voice nearly sneered.

"Stark." Steve said in warning.

"JARVIS." Tony addressed his AI.

"I'm sorry, I was asleep. Or I was a dream?" Clara could clearly see one of Tony's suits approaching, speaking in an unfamiliar voice. It was all busted up, electricity crackling from exposed wiring. Tony picked up a device, tapping on it.

"Reboot, Legionnaire OS. We've got a buggy suit." he spoke.

"There was a terrible noise...and I was tangled in... in...strings. I had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy." the robot said.

"You killed someone?" Steve's voice had turned from the playful tone she knew into one that she didn't recognize. He sounded colder, more imposing.

"Wouldn't have been my first call." the robot replied. "But down in the real world, we're faced with ugly choices."

"Who sent you?" Thor narrowed his eyes at the robot.

"_I see a suit of armor around the world_." Tony's disembodied voice came from the thing. She shot a glance over at her friend, but he was staring straight at the thing, slightly pale.

"Ultron!" Bruce said with recognition.

"Only in the flesh." the robot replied. "Or, no, not yet. Not this… chrysalis. But I'm ready. I'm on a mission."

"What mission?" Natasha asked.

"World Peace in our time." Clara briefly thought he sounded like a Miss America contestant before two more of the things burst through the wall next to Ultron. Steve kicked a table up to block the robot coming at them, but they went flying as one of the things ran directly into the makeshift blockade. She winced at the pain her impact caused, but her eyes widened as she saw him roll a few feet from her. She heard Maria call out for Rhodey, and heard a lot of commotion, including gunfire as Steve got up.

"Stay down." he ordered her, jumping up to cling to the back of one of the flying robots. She cowered in her spot, terrified something would happen to him. The thing shot backwards, smashing Steve into a glass wall. It pulled him out from the imprint his body made, slamming him onto the floor. She let out a whimper as she watched helplessly. Clara saw Dr. Cho hiding under the piano, and as Stark flew dangerously close to her head on the back of one of the rogue suits she decided that spot looked much more inviting. She regretted her decision exactly thirty seconds later when one of the suits spotted Dr. Cho. He held up a hand with a reactor prepared to blast, but dropped it after a moment. Then it was distracted quickly as one of them were brought down by Thor and Steve tag teaming it. Tony managed to down another with a knife and a well placed cut, and once Clint threw Steve his shield, the last rogue suit went down with a large crash.

"Well, that was dramatic." Ultron announced. 'm sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn't think it through. You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to...evolve?" he picked up one of the dismembered suits. "With these? These puppets? There's only one path to peace: The Avengers' extinction." Thor managed to take him down, smashing him to bits by throwing Mjolnir. "I had strings but now I'm free. I've got no strings on me, no strings on me." Ultron's fading voice sang. Clara's legs felt like jelly, and not in a good way.

"Are you okay?" she asked Dr. Cho.

"I-I'm fine. But you're not." she gestured down to the cuts littering her body that came from her first tumble into smashed glass and wood.

"Oh, god." she stared down at the blood trails.

"Clara!" Steve rushed over, picking her up gently. "Are you okay?"

"I-I think so." she peered down at her feet, seeing one of her shoes missing. "I don't feel it. I swear." she looked up into his worried eyes.

"Dr. Cho, can you fix her up quickly, please?" Steve turned to the woman.

"Yes, bring her to the lab. It won't take long." she hurried from the room.

"Are you alright?" Clara smoothed her hands over the parts of him she could touch, making sure he had no injuries.

"I'll be fine as soon as you are." he gave her a sad smile, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"Steve." she paused, looking down again. "I stained the hell out of this dress."

"Language!" Maria gasped out, and the whole room groaned.

**I had to end with a terrible joke. I couldn't help myself. Also, the Age of Ultron arc is hard to fit Clara into since it doesn't actually take place in New York, so things get a bit complicated in the next chapter. Enjoy!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen: Avengers: Age of Ultron**

Clara didn't know what to do. Everything had gone so far downhill she had no way of figuring out how to recover. Steve sent Clara with Dr. Cho, trying to keep her with as much security as possible while they went out to try and stop Ultron.

Unfortunately, nobody thought that Dr. Cho would be his first target.

So now she was a hostage, once again, trying to figure out how exactly she could escape the AI that seemed to be watching everywhere. Helen hadn't hurt her, but she was under the influence of the scepter. So she didn't really treat her well. She had to watch as Dr. Cho worked to completely build a living body for Ultron.

"My, my, you look quite crestfallen." the robotic voice addressed her. Clara barely flinched. "How did you get caught up in all this mess?"

"I'm not one of them." she said monotonously, staring at the ground in front of her. She sat in the corner with her knees up to her chest.

"One of who?" he asked.

"The Avengers. I'm not a part of this, so why do I always get placed in these situations?" she glared up at the robot.

"It seems you're upset." his voice grated on her ears. "What are you missing back home by sitting here in Seoul?"

"I have a life outside that tower." she buried her face into her knees. "I have students that will worry for me when I don't show up on Monday. I'm sure they won't miss the presentations they were supposed to do, though." she laughed bitterly. "They won't know what's to become of me."

"Ah. You mold the minds of children, try to make the world a better place." Ultron stalked away from her. "We're a lot alike." he mused.

"I'm nothing like you. You're despicable." Clara spat, glaring at him again.

"And this is why destroying the human race is crucial to my plan." Ultron's robotic face held no emotion, but she could imagine a sneer across the cold metal. "People like you are weak. Unable to create the difference they've strived their whole lives for. Am I the despicable one, or are you just projecting your failures?" the robot asked coldly, exiting the storage room. Clara pressed her face into her hands and sobbed.

….

Steve had to admit, watching Clint with Laura was a breath of fresh air. He wanted this, so badly. The house, the farm, the family.

The peace.

He wished Clara could see it. See what he wanted for them, so that she could look forward to it. He could set it up, he would. He would do anything for her. The witch woman had given him a glance at what it would have been like if he survived the plane crash, and Peggy had been in his mind. But he felt wrong looking at her. It wasn't right, she didn't feel right to him. He only wanted his girl, his Clara by his side, and in order to do that he had to keep abandoning her. The ring waiting for him back at the tower made his throat tighten.

When would he man up and finally pop the question? He bought the ring nearly two months previous, a few weeks after they had fought about him being distant. He knew that they could have easily broken up over that, but he saw how Clara wanted to tell him what he did wrong so he wouldn't be able to do it again. And he hadn't, he made sure to tell her everything he was able, which wasn't much, but it was so much more than he had been. He told her about his nightmares, his wounds, his hopes and his favorite dreams. The way she always accepted whatever he said without fault was like a balm on his soul, she loved the good and the bad equally.

"So what, Thor didn't say where he was going for answers?" Tony interrupted his reverie. They were out back, chopping wood.

"Sometimes my teammates don't tell me things." Steve said grimly, glancing up at Clint and his kid on the porch. "I was kind of hoping Thor would be an exception."

"Yeah, give him time. We don't know what the Maximoff kid showed him." Tony murmured. Steve shivered at the thought. He brought his axe down harder then necessary, sending the log pieces scattering across the grass.

"Earth's mightiest heroes." Steve shook his head. "Pulled us apart like cotton candy."

"Seems like you walked away alright." Tony squinted at him. Steve glanced into his eyes, looking for a hint of what he meant.

"Is that a problem?" he replied, testing the waters.

"I don't trust a guy without a dark side." Tony smirked, splitting another log. "Call me old fashioned."

"Well let's just say you haven't seen it yet." Steve said.

"You know that Ultron is trying to tear us apart, right?" Tony leaned on his axe for a moment.

"Well I guess you'd know." Steve raised his own axe of his head. "Whether you'd tell us or not is the question." he brought the axe down, the loud clang helping him to block out Tony's voice.

"Banner and I were doing research." Stark defended.

"That would affect the team." Steve grunted.

"That would end the team!" Tony replied. Steve blinked at him. "Isn't that the mission? Isn't that why we fight, so we can end the fight? So we can go home?" Steve picked up another log, but before he could even put it down he ripped it straight in half, frustration rippling through his body.

"Every time someone tries to win a war before it starts, innocent people die." he glared at Tony, thinking of Clara lying bloody on the ground. "Every time." his voice wavered.

"I never planned for anyone to get hurt." Stark closed his eyes.

"We never do. But this time you brought it into my home." Steve grimaced. "I can't trust you to keep Clara safe and do 'research' at the same time. She's a civilian, Stark."

"She's a civilian that you brought into this world." Tony mentioned. Steve flinched. "Look, I'm not trying to blame anyone for what she's gone through, but like it or not she's a part of this. Clint took Laura out of the equation before she was even an afterthought to anybody, but Clara is out there in the open, just waiting like a big fat target."

"This is what I want to be able to come home to, Stark." Steve motioned around the farm. "I want to get her away from the mess."

"Excuse me," Laura interrupted their fight to ask Tony about fixing up a tractor. Steve sighed, shaking his head and going back to chopping wood.

"Don't even think about touching my pile." Stark warned before stalking off.

….

"How could you?" Clara jerked awake at a shout from the next room. There was murmured conversation, and she peeked out the open doorway to see the wonder-twins with Ultron and Cho, standing over the synthetic body Ultron was going to download into.

"The human race will have every opportunity to improve!" Clara sneered at Ultron's lies.

"And if they don't?" Wanda, the female twin, asked.

"Ask Noah." Ultron's voice grated against her ears again.

"You're a madman." Wanda sneered.

"There were more than a dozen extinction level events before even the dinosaurs got theirs. When the Earth starts to settle, God throws a stone at it, and believe me, he's winding up. We have to evolve. There's no room for the weak." Ultron replied.

"And who decides who is weak?" Pietro, Wanda's brother replied. Clara watched as Ultron distractedly argued with Pietro, and Wanda's magic left her fingers in a red energy signature. Cho's eyes returned to normal as Wanda freed her.

"Life always decides." his eyes flashed as he saw something. "Incoming. The quinjet. We have to move quickly." Cho pressed a button, causing the download to stop.

"That's not a problem." Cho replied shakily. Ultron blasted her, and the twins disappeared. Clara pressed herself backwards, hoping Ultron had forgotten she was there. Fortunately, he was on the run. As soon as he disappeared, Clara ran out to Cho.

"Dr. Cho!" she heard a beautiful voice shout, and she almost wept.

"Steve!" she gasped, throwing her arms around him as he approached.

"What happened?" Steve demanded, kneeling down next to the injured doctor.

"He's uploading himself into the body." Helen breathed.

"Where?" Steve asked.

"The real power is inside the cradle." Cho explained to get the gem to Stark so he could disarm it.

"Did you guys hear that?" Steve asked over his earpiece. He must have gotten a response because he jumped back to his feet. "Stay here." he ordered Clara. Something in his voice told her he was in way over his head.

"Steve, I-"

"Don't argue with me, this is an extremely dangerous situation."

"I'm not trying to argue." she felt tears fill her eyes. "I just-I need to let you know in case anything happens, that I found it."

"What? Found what?" he asked distractedly.

"The ring! I found it, and I need to let you know that I say yes." the tears spilled down her face. He stared at her in shock before someone speaking over his earpiece caused him to jump back into action.

"I love you so much. I promise I'm coming back." Steve pressed a firm kiss to her lips before disappearing. "And I'm doing it right next time!" he shouted over his shoulder.

"You'd better." she called out weakly.

"That was sickly romantic." Cho coughed out. Clara smiled sheepishly at her.

….

"That was so dumb! What the hell were you thinking!" Steve stormed up to Clara.

"Obviously I wasn't because now I'm on a floating island filled with hostile robots." She spat out, ducking some flying debris.

"Why'd you come up here with Fury?" He threw his shield like a frisbee at an oncoming hostile.

"If you're going to die, I want to be with you." She shouted.

"Get the hell back onto the helicarrier right now and do not get off until we are safely on the ground."

"Language, Steve!" Natasha called from a distance. He growled and retrieved the shield, grabbing Clara's arm and running as fast as he could back to safety.

"Stay here. I won't say it again." He warned, jogging back out to the battlefield. And so she watched from besides one of the lifeboats. She watched Pietro sacrifice himself for Clint and the boy. She watched Thor and Steve struggle to bring the remaining civilians on board.

She watched herself get shot. It was weird, seeing something like that. The robot went down almost immediately, but she didn't pay it any mind. She pressed her hand against the wound in her stomach, gazing down at the blood that poured from her fingers. It didn't hurt, not yet at least. Everything felt slow around her, and she looked up as someone shouting captured her attention. Their voice was familiar but fuzzy, and she smiled as she recognized Steve. She felt warm wetness drip down her chin as her lips parted, and then everything went dark.

**Does anyone else want to get back to Domestic!StevexClara or is that just me? All this conflict is stressful. I wanna watch more movies on the couch.**

**Also, we're nearing the end... just around 5 more chapters left in this story... I just want to see more of Steve and Clara **


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen:**

Clara remembered Christmas Eve fondly. It wasn't long ago that Stark had his annual Christmas charity ball, Steve and Clara attending briefly since the party was in the tower itself. She remembered coming up the elevator to their floor, her highest heels already kicked off and dangling from her fingertips.

"That was a fun party." she grinned cheekily at Steve. She may have had one too many at the party, a warm sensation in her stomach from the liquor.

"It was a Stark party." Steve hadn't had the opportunity to drink away the sharp edges of the evening. He remembered a bit more snootiness than he'd care to think about at the moment.

"It's almost Christmas." Clara gasped, peering at the glowing clock that announced it was nearing midnight. "Can we stay up and wait for it so we can open our presents?"

"Your wish is my command." Steve steered her towards their living room, where their unnecessarily big tree stood, offsetting the skyline with its twinkling lights and glittery decorations. He seated her on the couch, appreciating the way she flopped over in laughter. Her silver dress was slinky, clinging to her breasts and hips in a way he very much appreciated. Steve flipped a switch, igniting the gas fireplace and basking his girl in a warm glow. She turned her face towards the heat with a wide smile, and he settled next to her. They watched the skyline in silence for a few moments before she spoke.

"You know, I think the greatest gift I've gotten was you." she smiled adoringly up at him. His heart squeezed like a vice looking into those glittering green eyes. Her smile faded a bit as she settled back into the couch. "Before I met you, I only had my dad. I didn't have any friends, obviously no lovers," he rolled his eyes at her tone, "and I sat alone in my apartment most of the day. I never noticed how much I've come to depend on you until we have to be apart." she traced her finger across the buttons on his maroon dress shirt.

"I think I should be the one saying that to you." he squeezed her shoulders, pulling her closer into his side as he watched the flames in the fireplace. "I had nothing to live for other than being Captain America until I met you."

"Steve." she sat up, concern shining brightly in her eyes.

"I was depressed. For a long time. I didn't have a purpose, and then suddenly you were there and I had something to focus on." he admitted. He could see the sadness in her eyes as she smoothed her hands over his arms.

"Steve." she said, softer this time. "Please tell me about these thoughts if they ever come back. I never want you to feel like that again." she squeezed his biceps gently.

"Don't worry, I will." he replied with a soft smile.

"Promise?" she leaned in closer, and he noticed the red hue on her cheeks that always seemed to appear from one too many glasses of wine.

"I promise." he wrapped his arms around her, tucking her head under his chin as he embraced her.

"We should dance." she pulled her head away, grinning up at him.

"I'm not a great dancer." he reminded her.

"Neither am I." she rolled her eyes, hopping off the couch and tugging his hands until he was standing. "JARVIS, play some Sinatra. A slower song, please." she called out to the AI. She grinned as 'Fly Me to the Moon' began, and she put one of his hands on her hip and grabbed the other, steering them in some sort of dementedly slow tango.

"I don't think this is how you're supposed to dance to this song." Steve grimaced as he stepped on her toes.

"Do we do anything like we're supposed to?" she raised her eyebrows at him.

"I see your point." Steve chuckled as Clara tripped over her own feet. She glanced over at the clock again and gasped as she saw it had just passed midnight.

"It's time!" she cheered, pulling away from their slow dance to stumble over to the tree. She quickly picked up a shiny silver box and handed it to him. She sat down on the floor, patting the spot next to her. He sat next to her with a chuckle.

"Is this one from you?" he asked, playing with the red white and blue bow on the top.

"Yep! So open it first." she beamed. He carefully tore the paper open under her excited gaze, and when he opened the box he was a bit confused. There were two books and a shirt.

"This is nice." he picked up the shirt first, a nice deep blue button-down.

"I wish I would have thought of red, I've never seen you wear a color like that before. You look really gorgeous in red." she trailed her fingers over the sleeve of his shirt. "Now look at the books." she pointed at the box. He picked up one of them, chuckling at the title. "A Hundred Years of World History for Dummies?" he raised his eyebrow at her peals of laughter.

"See, I knew you'd like it." she bit her lip as he picked up the last book, a really nice leather bound one, opening it to see it was blank. He looked up at her questioningly. "I noticed you used up your sketchbook, so I got you a new one." she shrugged. He felt warmth in his chest. She never pushed him to show her his sketches, and he still hadn't really let her see his drawings, but she still cared and paid attention. He grinned, pulling her closer to his side. She squealed as she slid across the hardwood, then laughed, pushing the box at him again.

"What?" he looked inside, not seeing much around the tissue paper.

"You missed one." she pointed at a tiny silver chain. He gingerly picked it up, and saw a St. Michael medal hanging from the end. "It's for protection." she smiled shyly.

"This is…" he swallowed hard, watching the pendant swing. "Thank you. I'm never going to take it off." he quickly attached it around his neck. He knew that she worried about him, so, so much, and he would do anything to put her mind at ease. That she even thought to give him such a loving, thoughtful set of gifts made his heart swell with love for her.

"Okay, which one is mine?" she turned, crawling over to the tree.

"The one in red paper." he cleared his throat at the sight of her pose, but pointed to a shoddily wrapped object, and she gleefully pulled it over to him.

"It's big." she frowned as she ripped the paper open. She opened the paper with a gasp to see it was a canvas. Painted on it was a portrait of her, on one of their lazy Sundays. She was laying leisurely across the blankets on their bed, partially covered and partially nude. Her hair was mussed up, her eyes glowing with happiness as she looked at what she assumed to be Steve. She had a small but impactful smile, the curve of her own lips tugging on her heartstrings. "Oh my god, Steve…" she choked out, looking up at him tearfully.

"What's wrong, do you not like it?" he was nervous. It had taken him weeks to get the look in her eyes right, the shape of her lips down.

"Oh, I love it. Is this what I look like to you? Is this how I look at you?" she sniffled, touching her painted face lightly.

"Every day." he nodded with a soft smile.

"I look beautiful. I really look like this? Oh god, you're so lucky to have me." she joked as tears streamed down her face.

"I wanted to show you how much the littlest things mean to me. Even when you're just looking at me it makes me fall even more in love with you." Steve wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head as she continued to admire the portrait.

"Well, you really outdid yourself. Where should we hang this? Probably not out in the open, my boobs are halfway out. They look good, by the way, do they really look like that or were you just flattering me?" she babbled, studying the painting.

"That's exactly how I see you." Steve grinned down at her. She smiled back, but then her face fell.

"Oh god, my gift sucks now. I got you a shirt and books." she complained.

"I love your gift." he kissed her hair again. "I love that you care enough to want to protect me and teach me and clothe me and you even encourage me to be better."

"I don't know how you can improve on perfection, honey." she smirked, sliding closer into his embrace.

"There's always room for improvement." he smiled, capturing her lips in his. She deepened it, arching up into him as she slid into his lap.

"The other gifts can wait." she gasped out as his lips travelled down to her neck, finding the sweet spot that made her melt into him. She smiled as heat curled in her belly. It heat continued to grow. "Steve, I love you." she mumbled.

The heat was still growing. It was almost unbearable. It was searing her from the inside, and she pulled away to look down.

Blood oozed from a bullet hole, and she screamed.

….

"Steve, I love you." Clara mumbled from her hospital bed. Steve jerked up, immediately rushing to her bedside. Her face was twisting, and he sighed in disappointment when he noticed she was just talking in her sleep. She whimpered, eyes rolling beneath her lids, before she screamed.

"Nurse!" he shouted, grabbing her hand as she continued to scream, her green eyes shooting open. "Clara, it's me. I'm right here." he cooed to her as she thrashed. She quickly calmed down, turning to face him, eyes full of confusion.

"W-what's going on?" she slurred, most likely feeling the after effects of anesthesia.

"You got hurt, you're in the hospital. They fixed you up, you just had a bad dream." he comforted her, smoothing his hand across her forehead, pushing her hair back into place.

"It wasn't bad." she sighed, leaning into his touch. "It was good. It was Christmas." Steve flushed at the memory of what they had done on the floor of their living room that night under the tree.

"How do you feel?" he asked as the nurse came in. She grimaced, shifting her torso.

"My stomach hurts." she moaned, tenderly lifting her hospital gown to see her bandages.

"Well, I'd imagine so. You got shot straight through." the nurse peered down at her bandages. "Nothing vital was it, so you should be fine in a few weeks."

"Yowza." Sam stalked in. "A few weeks? We can't get any of that Cho action up in here?" he asked, referencing Dr. Cho's tissue rebuilding technology.

"I don't think that's necessary." she shook her head.

"Clara." Steve sighed. "I'd feel better if we asked her."

"I don't need to be up and ready to fight every three seconds." she gave him a look. "I'm a third grade teacher. The most I do all day is sit down and stand up."

"But-"

"She'll be fine, Mr. Rogers." the nurse replied dryly. "We can discharge you within the next few hours, I'll go get the paperwork." she left the room.

"Damn, you just got your ass handed to you." Sam whistled.

"Can it, Wilson." Steve siged.

"What day is it?" she asked, peering at the clock. It was late in the afternoon.

"Well, you were in surgery yesterday, and this is the first time you've woken up since you passed out in Sokovia." Sam replied.

"It's Wednesday." Steve clarified.

"I'm so going to get fired." she groaned, rubbing her face in her hands.

"You know, you don't have to work." Steve commented.

"Yeah? And what would I do, sit around in the tower all day?" she scrunched her face up.

"Actually…" Steve trailed off. "Tony has decided we're all going to be leaving the tower."

"Wait, what? He forces us to move in and then kicks us out? I guess I could call our old landlord…" Clara mused.

"Actually, instead of the tower he's got a top secret facility in the works. Very hush hush. Off the grid. I don't even know where the place is yet, honestly." Sam shrugged.

"Wait, so what? We're leaving town?" Clara's eyes bulged. "I wasn't told about this. Steve, I want to keep my job."

"I'm looking into our other options." he smoothed his hand over the top of her head with a sigh. He didn't want to make her leave her job, but he wanted her to be with him.

"Steve." she sighed. "I don't… I don't know what to do." she shook her head. Sam raised his arms defensively, backing out of the room.

"I see a lover's quarrel brewing, and I know when I'm not needed. I'll leave you to it." he nodded, quickly exiting the room.

"I think it's safer for you at the facility." Steve said.

"Safer at what cost? I have to leave everything behind?" she crossed her arms. "I don't want to have to choose between my career and Captain America."

"You can have both." he mentioned.

"How? We don't even know where the facility is, I'm sure it's in the middle of nowhere." she huffed.

"I know. I get that. But, Stark has great transportation systems, I'm sure we can work something out." Steve said.

"What if it's a three hour drive every day? Are you prepared for me to be gone fifteen hours out of each day?" she raised an eyebrow. He sighed, dragging his hand down his face.

"Look, I'll ask Stark about the distance. If it's too much, we can live in the city part time." he compromised.

"Steve, I just…" she was lost for words. "I don't even know what's going on with my life anymore." Clara closed her eyes.

"I don't either." he replied honestly. "But I don't care as long as you're here, safe with me." she smiled tenderly at him.

"Okay, here's the discharge papers!" the nurse re-entered cheerfully. "You just fill these out and I'll be back to collect them in a few hours." she left swiftly.

"A few hours?" Clara twisted up her face. "There's literally two sheets here." she flipped the papers around for Steve to see.

"Sorry, they must be busy." he chuckled, shaking his head.

"Can you go all Captain America on them? Get me out faster?" she pleaded.

"Okay, see right there? Clearly you're exploiting my fame."

**I realized I had skipped Christmas, so I thought a dream flashback would make up for it. **


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen:**

"Steve, this is…" Clara was at a loss for words. They had made the decision to move into the compound, though their suites were smaller. Some places had their own kitchenettes, but most of the meals would be taking place in a larger cafeteria. When Steve finally brought her into their apartment, she couldn't believe how beautiful it was. The main room was dark wood, state of the art appliances, beautiful dark gray walls, a large flatscreen, fireplace, and bay windows that looked out over the back of the building, the green forest enticingly natural.

"Here, the bathroom is great." he tugged her along into the ensuite bathroom, with a gigantic clawfoot tub and separate shower, as well as a double sink vanity and white marble floors.

"Tony is richer than I remembered." she gasped as he tugged her back into the bedroom. She hadn't gotten a good look at it when Steve pulled her to the bathroom, but she loved it. Pure white cotton sheets with a down comforter, gray walls to match the rest of the apartment, and a chaise, fireplace, and more windows that looked towards the woods. "Oh god, tell me you put that up and not the guys." she groaned as she saw her portrait.

"Of course I'm the one who put it up." he scoffed.

"Mr. Stark has already seen the portrait and would like to send his compliments to the artist." FRIDAY, Tony's new AI, announced into their bedroom. Clara slapped herself in the face.

"Okay, I didn't show them! They barged in when I was putting it up." he defended himself as she shot him a glare.

"Yeah, yeah, excuses." she muttered, turning away. "I'm just excited to use the bathtub." she walked back into the bathroom.

"Would you like me to draw you a bath?" FRIDAY asked.

"No, that's not necessary. Thank you, though." Clara grinned.

"Are you getting hungry? We can see if there's anything good in the cafeteria." Steve checked his watch.

"I feel like I'm in college again." she sighed, following him out the door. "Do we have to lock them?" she frowned at the absence of a handle and lock.

"No, the door should only open for us unless we add someone to our list." Steve assured her.

"So, Stark can't barge in anymore is what you're telling me." she gave a wide grin.

"That's the idea." he patted the small of her back, pressing her slightly ahead of him as he steered her towards the cafeteria.

"That might be the best news I've heard all day." she grinned.

"Oh, maybe not…" he gave her a secret smile before stopping her. "I think we need to talk for a minute."

"About what?" she frowned, peering around him towards the empty hallway. "I thought you said you were hungry, we can talk over dinner."

"I really can't wait anymore, sweetheart." Steve grinned before dropping onto one knee.

"Oh god." she already started to tear up.

"Why are you crying?" he smiled, pulling the box from his jacket pocket.

"I can't believe you're doing this in the middle of the hallway." she laughed, wiping the tears from where they began to dribble down her cheeks.

"Okay be quiet for a second, I have a whole speech planned." he flipped open the box to reveal her stunning ring. It was even better seeing it the second time, with his face grinning right behind the box. "I know we only met a year ago, but we've been through so much together." he said.

"I can't believe it's only been a year." she sighed, shaking her head and taking one of his hands in hers.

"Okay stop interrupting." he joked. "I know that meeting you was fate for me. The first time we talked, I knew you were it for me. I couldn't help but fall head over heels, really." Steve chuckled, squeezing her hand. "Being here with you is more than I could have ever hoped for. I don't know what I did to deserve you, honestly." another tear slipped down her cheek. "You've dealt with so much from me, a lot of unnecessary crap that put you into danger. I hate that I'm not as good for you as you are for me. But I want to try even harder to be better for you. I want you to succeed, I want you to keep your career, but I'm also selfish, and I don't want there to be a chance that you'll leave me behind."

"Steve, I'm never going to leave you behind." she smiled gently.

"I don't want to risk it." he smirked playfully. "I want it all with you, Clara. I want the family home, with twelve kids. I want to come home and see your face smiling every day. I want to take care of you for the rest of my life, because I love you more than you could ever know." his voice shook. "So, even though you already said yes, will you marry me?"

"Of course." she smiled through the tears and leaned down, wrapping her arms around his neck. He squeezed gently around her midsection, knowing she wasn't fully healed yet.

"Well are you going to put the ring on? The engagement party is waiting, you know." Stark's voice came through the intercom.

"He really knows how to ruin a moment." Steve sighed bitterly, pulling back from the embrace. He pulled the ring from the box and slipped it onto her finger easily.

"How'd you know my size?" she asked.

"I had JARVIS measure when you were sleeping." his ears turned red. She admired the sparkling diamond before pulling him onto his feet.

"Did you tell everyone that you were going to do this?" she teased, pulling him towards the cafeteria.

"I figured this would be a nice start to the chaos that's sure to break out in the next few days." he shrugged. As soon as they stepped through the doors the room erupted into cheers.

"So, I'm the best man, right?" Tony peered over the top of his glasses at the pair.

"No, no way in hell. It's me for sure." Sam jabbed his elbow into Stark's ribs.

"Rogers, I hate to admit it but you might just be the luckiest guy in the world." Natasha came up with a smile.

"Thanks, Nat." Steve replied. Sometimes Clara was jealous of their easy friendship, but she knew Steve would never ever even think about being unfaithful.

"I wish Bruce could be here to see this." Nat said sadly. Clara winced, gently placing a hand on Natasha's arm. Dr. Banner had gone missing after the fight in Sokovia, his jet in stealth mode causing them to be unable to trace where it had gone.

"He'll come back soon." she reassured the redhead.

"Banner's just hiding out until the buzz dies down." Stark grimaced. "Thinking about it gives me whiplash, and I'm very familiar with media scandals."

"Enough about Banner being a wuss, this is a celebration! There's gonna be a big old wedding. Now, Steve, about that best man position…" Sam trailed off. Clara laughed at his segway, and the rest of the evening flew by in a whirlwind of wedding questions. When the night drew to a close, Steve and Clara were both in the bathroom preparing for bed. Clara was relaxing in the bath while he shaved, and when he turned with his beard gone, his mustache remained.

"What do you think about this? Do I look official?" he stroked his clean-shaven chin. "I can't decide if I like it or not." Clara stared at him in shock, her mouth dropping open.

"You…" she struggled to find words, but when they wouldn't come, she burst into laughter.

"What? Is it that bad?" he frowned.

"You look like a porn star!" she gasped, splashing water at him. He stared at her for a full minute as she cackled.

"A porn _what_?!" he shouted.

"A porn star is an actor who stars in adult films revolving around explicit sexual relations." Clara cackled even harder as FRIDAY read them the definition.

"FRIDAY I know-okay that's it, you're done." Steve lunged across the room when Clara splashed him again. He splashed her right back, and she sputtered as the sudsy water crashed over her head and all over the floor.

"Steven Grant!" she gasped at the growing puddle. "I am not cleaning that up."

"You started it." he wiggled out of his wet jeans and underwear, jumping into the large tub with her.

"Hey! This was supposed to be a nice relaxing bath alone!" she splashed more water at him.

"Well, you're going to be my wife. You have to learn to share everything." he chuckled, sending another wave of water at her.

"I'm glad that you want to make your wife look like a drowned rat!" she crowed, pushing her hair to the back of her head.

"Drowned rat and the porn star, that's an interesting pairing." Steve teased.

"Well you're a hot porn star, I'll give you that." she pushed herself forward through the water, pressing a kiss to his lips.

"Oh I'm glad." he said sarcastically, kissing her back.

"Your mustache _scratches_, ow!" she yelped. "I'm gonna have a burn on my lip." she joked.

"Okay, enough out of you." Steve pushed her back and dunked her underwater. She surfaced with a gasp, launching herself onto him in an attempt to get him under.

"You're so dead!" she laughed again, practically jumping on him.

"This is not the way I thought we'd spend the night you know." he said nonchalantly, not even budging from all her efforts.

"What did you have in mind?" she raised an eyebrow, settling back into the water between his thighs.

"Less water, more kissing." he revealed, tugging her forwards.

"Okay wait!" she begged, prying herself out of his grip. "You have to shave the 'stache first."

"I do not! I wanna be a porn star, dangit!" he smacked his hand on top of the water, causing another wave to splash at her.

"You're so ridiculous." she giggled, leaning up to kiss him again. She found she really didn't mind the facial hair that much.

At least, not until the next morning when she woke up with whisker burns in between her thighs.

….

"We literally got engaged last week and you've already got a new mission?" Clara groaned from their bed. Steve chuckled as he tugged on his suit.

"Crime waits for no one. I'll be back by tomorrow, I promise." he leaned down to kiss her temple.

"That was so cheesy." she teased. She was scared things would get harder after their engagement, but everything came easy to them. They had their own space, had even agreed on a winter wedding, and set a few possible dates. "Have you gotten any more intel on Bucky yet?" she asked carefully. His whole body seemed to droop at the question.

"Unfortunately not." he shook his head. "The last lead Sam followed was a dead end."

"I'm sorry." she frowned, pulling him down to kiss his forehead. "I know we'll find him."

"Yeah. You know, Sam and Tony keep fighting about being the best man, but…" his voice stuck in his throat.

"You always thought it would be Bucky, didn't you?" she asked, heart breaking. He nodded with a sad smile.

"A part of me hopes I can get him back before the wedding." Steve sighed.

"Steve," she started gently. "Bucky isn't the same guy he was seventy years ago."

"I know that." Steve sighed. "But he's in there. He saved me, remember? He remembers."

"I understand. I'm rooting for you. If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know." Clara slid out of bed, moving to the walk-in closet. Another perk of living under Stark's roof was all the wonderful amenities.

"When I get back tomorrow, how about we go into town for dinner?" Steve called as Clara picked out some clothes for the day.

"Sounds good, do you want me to pick?" she asked, shimmying into a knee length black skirt and a green wrap top.

"If you want to." he said as she left the closet and headed for the bathroom.

"Okay, I'll let you know tomorrow." she smiled.

"You look nice today, what's the occasion?" he smiled, following her.

"I have parent teacher meetings after school, remember?" she reminded him, putting her hair back into something resembling a professional updo.

"Ah, yeah, forgot about that." he chuckled.

"Your dementia is catching up to you, old man." Clara teased, brushing on some mascara.

"I do not have dementia. I'm not an old man." Steve scoffed.

"You're ninety years old, gorgeous." she cooed, applying lip gloss.

"You must really be robbing the grave, then." he winced.

"Well, you know, I stand to inherit 70 years of interest from all your accounts." she giggled. He pursed his lips as he fitted his helmet over his head.

"Sometimes I can't tell if you're joking or not." he deadpanned.

"I'm joking!" she laughed. "But you are rich, right?" she turned around with a serious expression, bursting into laughter at the look he gave her.

"You're crazy." he sighed, pulling his boots on.

"Crazy about you." she teased, crossing the room to squeeze him into a hug. "Let me know if you're going to run late tomorrow, okay?"

"Yes ma'am." he gave her a smooch on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Bye, love you." she waved as he approached the door.

"Love you too." he smiled over his shoulder, and then he was gone.

"Still love to watch him leave." she mumbled to herself, shaking her head.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen: Captain America: Civil War**

"I have to bring him in on my own." Steve paced the bedroom.

"Steve, you can't go by yourself." Clara sighed, raking her hands through her hair. "I understand you want to bring him back as quickly as possible, but-"

"They're going to kill him, Clara." his eyes were bloodshot as he whirled on her. "And the accords, I-I have to go get him." he pleaded with her.

"Steve, we just got back from Peggy's funeral. Can you take a day to think this over?" she was exhausted. They had gone to the funeral a few days ago, and then the meeting for the accords had just got blown up that day. Thank god Steve hadn't been there, but…

"People have already died. This is my fight. I can't wait any longer, I have the intel, I just need to go and get him." Steve clenched his fists.

"I know." she raked her hand down her face, drooping more than she thought possible. "I get it. Just please, be safe."

"I will." Steve looked at her guiltily. She was trying so hard for him, and here he was, running after a ghost. "I'll bring him back to us. You two can finally meet." he chuckled.

"Steve, doing this…" she let out a whoosh of air. "Will you be able to come back?" she felt tears sting her eyes.

"I won't stop fighting until I can be by your side again." he stooped down, kissing her gently. She returned the kiss, and he tasted salt from her tears.

…

"You arrested him." Clara said hollowly.

"Nothing personal. Loverboy just couldn't see that we have to follow rules now." Tony waved off her concern.

"What, where, what do I…" she shook her head.

"I'm not saying you can't stay here." Tony frowned. "I'm just letting you know that there is a situation that unfortunately I can't control any more than you can."

"It's Bucky!" she spat. "He's doing this for Bucky. He's in pain, Stark, he just lost Peggy and now he's about to lose his best friend."

"Bucky is a loose cannon and we need to cover all of our backs." Natasha stepped in. Clara shot her a look.

"How could you let them do this? Sam, Steve, and even a goddamn king now?" she pleaded with Natasha.

"They're going to face repercussions, I'm not gonna lie." Tony interjected. "But, I'll see if we can let them off easy this time."

"Tony, they're beginning on Bucky." Natasha parroted from her earpiece.

"We'll finish this discussion later. See ya, Teach." Tony waved as he passed. Clara was alone again. Frustrated tears filled her eyes, and she headed back to her room, needing a distraction. On the way back, the power went out.

"Oh, what the…?" she muttered, stopping in the middle of the hall. She was on the ground level, and knew the elevators most likely weren't on backup power. She didn't quite know where to go. She headed towards the front of the building, hoping somebody would be there who knew what was going on. She screamed as glass exploded around her, Tony, Natasha, and… the guy that changed her tire in DC? They were all fighting, and even Sharon was there. She leapt behind a tipped over table for cover. There was so much happening, then everything stopped at once.

"Clara?" Sharon gasped as she stood.

"What the fuck?" she didn't care about her language at the moment. "That guy, his name was… James? What the fuck is going on."

"James Buchanan Barnes, Teach, get with the program." Tony panted, peering out to where the man began fighting with T'Challa.

"Bucky changed my tire. Holy shit, he was right here the whole time." she raked her hands down her face. "Where's Steve?"

"Apparently on the rooftop holding a chopper down." Tony brought up the live feed of the security cameras.

"Oh my god, that idiot…" Clara muttered. She watched the whole thing go down into the water. She didn't see them resurface. Closing her eyes, she held back the tears.

"Nat, bring her somewhere safe. I'm getting a team out there to find Barnes and Cap." Tony began tapping away at his device.

"I'm sorry, Clara." Natasha shook her head, nudging her out of the destroyed room. "Steve has made his choice."

…

"Hey, dad." Clara smiled sheepishly from the doorway.

"Pumpkin!" he crowed, walking up to greet her. "What are you doing here? Where's Steve?"

"It's a really long story." she sighed, rubbing her hand over her face. "I could use a nap, too, I drove straight here."

"Of course, yes, you can go to your room." he paused. "Does this have anything to do with those accords?"

"I…" she paused, tears filling her eyes. "I don't even know what's going on anymore." she whimpered, and he tugged her into a hug. She sobbed into his shoulder, and he patted her on the back as he led her towards her bedroom door.

"Here, here, honey, lie down. I'll get started on some dinner, okay?" he crooned, stroking her head. "I know things are hard right now, but you two will get through it. You're destined to be with each other." he left her at her doorway with a soft smile.

"Thank you." she sniffled, wiping her face. "I think some sleep will do me good."

….

It was hours before she woke again. She blinked, confused by her surroundings before she realized where she was. She sat up quickly when she noticed a shadow looming over her head.

"Shh." the familiar voice was quiet, placing a finger over her lips.

"Steve." she relaxed, before tensing up. "Why the hell are you here? They're looking for you." she hissed.

"I've got him. I got Bucky." he sighed in relief. "There's something I have to do, and I don't know how long it will take. But I promise I'm going to come back to you."

"Will it be in handcuffs?" she asked, a hard edge to her tone.

"Clara…" he sighed. "I can't make any promises."

"I know. God, I know. I just don't want to believe it, Steve." she closed her eyes. "When I left… I heard Stark with the council members. They want you out of the picture. Dead or alive."

"It's not going to come to that." he steeled his shoulders.

"If you get killed out there, I'm going to bring you back to life so I can kill you myself." she sat up on her knees to hug him tightly.

"I'll hold you to that." he squeezed her hard. "Sharon's going to help us out. If she comes here, you can trust her."

"Where are you going to go?" she asked, pulling away.

"I can't tell you. The less you know, the better." he shook his head.

"Why'd you come here then?"

"I needed to see you one more time. It might be a while." he whispered, tenderly kissing her. Her heart ached.

"Tell Bucky I said hi." she murmured against his lips. "And tell Sam to be careful."

"Goodbye, Clara." he sighed, reluctantly pulling himself from her embrace.

"Goodbye." and then he was gone. She felt like crying all over again, but she held it in this time. She had to at least try to be strong.

She wasn't sure if she could handle another disappointment.

…

"What's going to happen to your friends? To your… fiance." Bucky asked as Steve piloted the quinjet towards the mountains. Steve's grip tightened on the wheel.

"Whatever it is… I'll deal with it." he furrowed his brows with a defeated sigh.

"I don't know if I'm worth all this, Steve." Bucky shook his head.

"What you did all those years… it wasn't you. You didn't have a choice." Steve said.

"I know. But I did it." Steve glanced over as Bucky hung his head.

"So, Buck." Steve tried to change the subject to something not so heavy. "This might not be the greatest time, but here we go. Would you like to be the best man at my wedding?"

"Your wedding?" his head shot up, a surprised look gracing his features. "I'm not even sure if we're getting out of this alive, Steve. How are you thinking of your wedding?"

"Sometimes you have to focus on the future to get through the now."

"No offense, but I don't think anyone will want to marry you in a jail cell." Bucky replied dryly. Steve laughed sharply.

"You've just never been in love, Buck." he shook his head.

….

"That shield doesn't belong to you." Tony called from across the room as Steve hefted Bucky around. He hesitated before looking at him. "You don't deserve that shield. My father made that shield!" Tony yelled. Steve dropped it, then turned.

"Make sure she's safe." he sounded hollow. Tony didn't reply.

….

"Are you sure about this?" Steve asked Bucky. They were in Wakanda, and he really didn't want Bucky to go back in the ice, but it wasn't up to him.

"I can't trust my own mind." he revealed. "So, until they figure out how to get this stuff out of my head I think going back under is the best thing… for everybody." Bucky looked down as he was placed back into cryo.

"Thank you for doing this." Steve said as T'Challa approached.

"Your friend and my father were both victims. If I can help one of them find peace…" he trailed off.

"You know, if they find out he's here they'll come for him."

"Let them try." T'Challa challenged.

**Civil War got skipped over a lot, just because the main conflict is between Cap and Tony, which makes it hard to involve people without creating a whole lot of differences. So I decided that not involving Clara in the actual Civil War would make more sense, seeing as she has nothing to do with the Avengers other than residency. **


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen: Avengers: Infinity War**

"Hey kiddo, you've got mail." Clara's dad called from outside her bedroom. She was re-packing her bag, already having set up a space at her old apartment. She frowned, taking the manila envelope from him.

"Thanks." she gave him a weak smile. He nodded, brows furrowed in concern, but he disappeared a few moments later. She ripped it open and felt her heart break a little when she realized it was Steve. He was a wanted criminal now, and the entire country was searching high and low for him. She pulled out a letter, peering inside to see a disposable cell phone in the bottom of the envelope. She read the letter first.

_Clara,_

_I know this isn't how you wanted to hear from me. I wish I could see you and say this, but it's not safe. I'm going to be on the run for the foreseeable future, as long as the accords are still in place. I'm working on getting back as soon as I can. But I need you to know I'm always thinking of you. I know it hurts. It's killing me to stay away. But Tony will keep an eye on you for me. No matter what, if you need me, I'll be there for you. _

_Steve_.

She felt tears drip down her face. She picked up the disposable phone, opening it and looking at the contacts. There was one, and it was Steve.

"Oh, you idiot." she whispered, feeling a sob bubble up in her chest and burst from her lips. Her finger wavered over the _call_ button, but she knew that it would be a waste of time to contact him now. She had to be careful.

She had to be strong.

….

Steve tensed on the rooftop, his binoculars out.

"I've got eyes." he announced through his earpiece.

"I've locked on. Do we see any tails?" Sam replied.

"No, Stark's tails have been detained for the moment." Wanda replied.

"She's approaching the subway, should I apprehend?" Wilson asked.

"Not yet." Steve ordered. "Wait for my count."

"She's about to disappear." Clint mentioned.

"Now." Steve lithely jumped from the top of the building, heading through the New York crowd. He saw one of Falcon's redwings disappear into an alley before Sam walked out, falling into step right behind Steve.

"Are you sure this is safe? We're very exposed right now." Sam murmured.

"We don't have a choice, I have to do this." Steve replied.

"We understand." Clint announced.

"I lost the tail, be careful." Wanda warned over the headset.

"Clint?" Steve asked.

"I'm on it." he replied.

"We're approaching fast, do we have the car ready?" Sam questioned.

"Idling around the corner." Wanda answered.

"I've got a visual." Steve fought to keep calm as he approached. He slowly walked up, trying not to startle her. "Wanda, you ready?"

"I'm on it." Wanda appeared out of nowhere, red energy slinking up her heels and to her legs. She started walking past the subway entrance and towards the car.

"What the…?" he heard her mutter. She turned the corner as Steve and Sam followed close behind. Wanda opened the car door and she stumbled in, the red energy controlling her movements. Steve hopped in right behind her, and Sam jumped in the front seat. Wanda squished into the back as well as Clint entered the passenger seat.

"Hello." Steve smiled sheepishly at Clara.

"Steve?" she choked out, wrapping her arms around him. She hadn't seen him in nearly a year, and she felt tears spill from her eyes. "What are you… what's going on?"

"Happy spring break." he chuckled.

"How did you-" she was cut off by Sam.

"You really thought Cap wouldn't have us watching your schedule every hour of the day?" he chuckled. "Love clearly makes you act crazy."

"Where are we going?" she frowned.

"Edinburgh." Steve explained.

"We're going to Scotland? Why?"

"Vision." Wanda said quietly. "We got a distress call from Banner about a threat. We've got to keep Vision safe."

"Bruce is back? How is he? How is… everyone?" Clara was struggling to keep calm. Steve shook his head with a sigh.

"There's some stuff going on, so I'm not sure how everyone is right now. Stark and the kid are MIA, and we have to prepare for the worst."

"What's going on, Steve, why'd you come and get me?" she sounded suspicious.

"Something bad is going to happen, and I can't keep you safe from afar." Steve shook his head. "The attack in New York from yesterday was only the beginning."

"Steve, I-" he cut her off with a quick kiss.

"We can talk about it later." he sighed. "I just don't want to think about it right now." she stayed quiet after that, settling into his side. He felt the comfort of just being with her and he never wanted to let go again.

…..

"Steve. Can we talk now?" they were alone in their hotel room.

"There's someone that's trying to destroy half the universe." Steve said calmly.

"Wh-what?" she flinched. "How… there's no way, right?"

"The Chitauri attack in New York was the beginning. Vision's stone, that's something the guy needs. So we're here, hoping he won't find us."

"So this is real?" she sank onto the bed. "There's… we could all die."

"I won't let it come to that." Steve assured her.

"You can't control this, Steve." she choked out, burying her face in her hands. "I'm… I don't know what I'm doing anymore."

"Shh, it's okay, sweetheart." he wrapped his arms around her, and she crawled into his lap.

"I don't want to die." she sobbed into his chest.

"You won't. I'd never let that happen, I promise." he swore.

"I don't know if I can do this." she breathed out, clearly having some sort of panic attack.

"Hey, it's okay. It's okay, I'm here with you." he rocked her gently.

"Steve, why didn't you ever come back for me?" she whispered. "I would have come with you. I would have left everything behind." she felt nauseous at the thought of them being separated again.

"I didn't want you to have to make that choice." he shook his head. She tensed, pulling back to look into his eyes.

"What, so you made it for me?" her voice wavered.

"I won't ever drag you into my decisions." he sighed. "Leaving you was the hardest thing I've ever done. So many times I wanted to come get you, but living like this, constantly being on the run, it's exhausting. You deserve better than this."

"Does it even matter now?" she closed her eyes. "If we survive this, I…" her voice shook. "I'm not going back without you. I've been so alone." she admitted. His heart shattered at her confession. "I stared at that phone every day. I wanted to get into trouble so I could call you, so you could come make it all better. But I didn't want to be selfish. But it doesn't make a damn difference. We're about to get pulled apart again, I can feel it."

"I'm here now." he reassured her, and when she looked up at him he felt _whole_ again. "I'm here." he leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. She pushed herself upwards immediately, her fingers raking through his hair.

"You need a haircut." she breathed as he kissed down her neck. "And a shave."

"It's a disguise, sweetheart."

"Not a very good one, I recognized you right away." she chuckled as he squeezed her sides.

"I'm trying my best here." he smirked, pressing his lips to hers again.

"I missed you." she whispered.

"I know. I'm sorry." he replied in a hushed voice.

"You're going to really have to make it up to me." she sighed.

"I guess I should start now, then." he smiled. Heat curled in her stomach at his grin, and she dropped the subject for now.

…...

"Bucky?" Steve whispered as his best friend turned to dust. "Buck." he stared down at the empty place he'd been at. He turned, watching more and more people disappear in the same fashion. "No, no no no." he stumbled. Clara. Oh god, Clara, was she alright? He was on the battlefield. Would his cell work? He pulled out the old cell phone he had been using, and dialled her number.

It rang. And rang.

"Hello, this is Clara Schmidt."

"Oh thank god, Cla-"

"I can't come to the phone right now, so please leave a message after the tone." there was a beep.

"No." he stared down, dialling again.

"Hello, this is Clara Schmidt. I can't come to the phone right now, so please leave a message after the tone."

**This was really sad for me to write, but I couldn't skip over Infinity War. There will be an epilogue, but this will be the end of this story. Maybe I'll continue this after Avengers: Endgame but for now, this is all there is. Thank you so much for following the journey. **


	20. Epilogue

**Epilogue:**

Steve dragged himself through the streets of Edinburgh. There was a chance. He wasn't giving up. Her cell phone might have been dead, or lost, or anything. But he wouldn't accept that she was gone.

Without her, what did he have left?

It hurt inside to think about. His heart ached when he thought of losing her. He refused to accept it.

He approached their hotel, finally. He took the stairs one at a time.

He wanted to know. _Needed_ to know.

But dread filled him with every step.

He could barely think.

Barely breathe.

He made it to their door.

The lock clicked.

The knob turned.

He walked in.

The dust was on the bed.

He sank to his knees with a sob. His eyes welled up with tears as he crawled across the room. How much more could he take? He had nothing left to lose, what else would the universe take from him? His fingers raked through the ash, watching as it fell loosely from his hands.

"Clara. Sweetheart." he choked. Her shoes were next to the bed, her cellphone on the table. Her black peacoat hung on the coat rack. Her purse was on the floor. "Come out, please." he whispered to the gray mass. "I need you. Don't leave me. Please." he sobbed, falling forwards onto the bed, a puff of gray dust surrounding him in a cloud. One last embrace. One last touch.

When the dust settled, she was gone.

**End.**

**Just a note for anyone who is interested, I have another MCU story in the works. It's a Winter Soldier/OC fic, so keep an eye out for it on my page if you're interested :)**


	21. Epilogue 2

second epilogue:

**WARNING: this chapter contains MAJOR SPOILERS FOR ENDGAME. DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVENT SEEN ENDGAME!!!!**

**Once again, this chapter contains HUGE spoilers. CONTINUE AT YOUR OWN RISK!!! **

The hope that Scott had given him hurt. He knew he should have just moved on. He shouldn't have let himself hope. But the dread he'd felt when Banner couldn't get Scott back in time, it pooled like acid in his stomach. He had to take a walk. And that's when Tony had driven up, rolling his window down with that signature look on his face that he knew something Steve didn't.

"Why the long face?" He asked. They had a long conversation. He got the shield back from his friend. But there was something nagging at him.

"Tony… you got a second chance during this. These five years… I haven't seen her in five years, Tony. Things have changed. If we get them back, will they be the same? What if things change?"

"Don't get cold feet on me now. I've really swallowed my pride here, spangles." Tony breezed past him into the compound, and Steve trailed helplessly behind. "And if you think for one second Clara's sweet little soul could ever be damaged, well, you're an idiot."

"You're right." Steve smiled slightly. It had been too long without her gorgeous face. Too long without her telling him she loved him. He thought of her, every damn day. He pictured her laughing, crying, angry. He just needed her back. He'd lost far too much in this battle. The whole world had lost too much.

"Always am, Rogers." Tony grinned. And of course, Stark managed to get their shit together. His brain was amazing, he'd thought of everything. And when they suited up, well, he felt that flutter of hope deep in his belly again.

"You ready for this, Steve?" Nat asked with a smile. "You might see her in New York. You sure you can handle it?"

"I have to." Steve nodded at his (second) oldest friend. Natasha was like a sister to him, moreso once she became friends with the woman he'd planned to marry. Their family continued to grow, and losing so many of them five years back was absolutely devastating. To all of them.

"If you see her, give her a kiss." Tony suggested, and Steve laughed, shaking his head.

"She's not mine there. That's not my Clara. My Clara is waiting for me, and I'll make sure that nothing gets between us again." He said firmly. Tony gave him a nod, and they all lined up, circling around the group to get ready to time travel. God, it sounded insane. But Steve just couldn't wait to get Bucky and Clara back to tell them all about it.

Being back in New York during the Chitauri invasion affected Steve in a way he hadn't expected. He glanced around the familiar streets, reminiscing about seeing his girl with that stupid pipe that she swung around… his girl was tough. She was smart, and brave, and pretty badass if he said so himself. God, he'd landed a great dame. Something about catching a glimpse of her caused a flutter of excitement. She was with her kids, counting them off and keeping them safe in the civilian shelter. A part of him yearned to rush to her, to give her a big smooch, but he had to remind himself that he couldn't get distracted by the past. He was on a mission, and the faster he got it done the faster he'd get his girl back.

He wanted her back more than he could put into words. He wanted to get married, finally. He wanted to see her walking down the aisle with her dad, in a pretty white dress with her pretty blush and her pretty smile. He wanted to kiss her, put that wedding band on her finger, bring her home to a little cottage and make her his. Officially. He wanted to see her grow with little babies, beaming with pride and love for the litter of kids they'd have. She was so good with kids, he was sure she'd be the best mother anyone could possibly wish for. Their kids would be so cute, so happy, he wanted to play with them and give them the world. He would do anything for that.

Even risk his one chance to go back in time even further. Tony asked if he trusted him, and of course Steve did. He trusted him almost more than anybody else, even after all they'd been through. They managed to get the Pym particles. They got the tesseract. But he hadn't expected to see her. Peggy. A lost love… he ached inside when he saw her. What would his life have become with her? And he imagined it and he was… disappointed. Because even though he'd loved Peggy, once, long ago… he had something else. Something that meant more to him. Peggy had a life without him, and seeing her in the seventies, he felt something in him let go. He was finally able to move on, fully. And it drove him even further to get back to his girl. His Clara.

Tony and Steve made it back. They finished the gauntlet, and Banner snapped his fingers. He felt that hope bubble up again, and when he walked out to get nearly obliterated by missiles, he felt crushed again. He felt… defeated. But he wouldn't stop. He couldn't. Not this time. He couldn't give up. There was hope, it still could have worked. He'd lost Natasha. He would make sure that her sacrifice wasn't in vain.

So he fought, probably harder than he ever had before. He wielded Mjolnir, even though he had told himself so long ago that he shouldn't be worthy. But for her, he would do it. He would do anything. And he took the battle to heart. This wasn't just personal. This was his destiny. Thanos talked big about destiny, about what he was meant to do. Well, Steve knew that he was meant to stop him. No, that they were meant to stop him. And he wouldn't quit until the deed was done. He wouldn't let himself slow down until he saw her again. Touched her soft skin, felt her lips against his again, smelled her sweet scent. Heard that beautiful voice saying that she was his. Because that's all he wanted. No, he didn't want it. He needed it. He wouldn't survive much longer without her.

He felt ready to give his life up to Thanos. He would do it to save the rest of the world. He might not survive the battle, he'd thought. But then, that crackling voice through his earpiece, that one phrase he hadn't heard in almost a decade.

"On your left." Sam had said before the portals began to open, revealing swarms of people who were one his side. His stomach swelled with pride, with relief. He knew that she was probably scared, coming back to that empty hotel room, wondering what was going on. He knew that the faster he finished this last battle, the faster he'd get back to her. This was the endgame. He caught a glimpse of Bucky, saw Sam soaring ahead, waiting for his signal.

"Assemble." He heard himself say, and the force of all the good in the world launched at all the evil, and he knew in his heart that they'd win. They had to win. He wouldn't accept anything less.

Of course there would be consequences. Of course it couldn't be easy. Of course there would be losses. But he never thought it would be Tony. It hurt to breathe once he'd found out. He lost two people that meant the most to him. The two people who'd been the unexpected for him. He could barely stand to think of it. He'd shed so many tears, but he had to get through it. He had to get back to her.

And he flew as soon as he could, taking any flight he could. He got back. He saw so many reunions, so much of the devastation shocking but over for them. He'd lost so much, but gained so much back. He was conflicted. Was it worth it? Was the cost of her worth losing so much?

When he got to the hotel room, he paused outside the door. He was worried. The place had been abandoned years ago, like so many others. But the dilapidated building had strangers poking their heads out the doors, and he raised his knuckles up. His hand was shaking. He tried to still his fluttering heart, but he couldn't. Two sharp raps against the doorframe. Too long of a pause. His heart was breaking again until the door freaked open. Two beautiful eyes peeking shyly out from behind those wispy bangs. A look of surprise, confusion clear on her face. He almost burst into tears when he saw her, and he pushed his way inside, wrapping his arms around her so tightly he was surprised she could still breathe. He felt wetness on his cheeks, and he knew that this was it. This was what was meant to be.

"Steve, what's going on? Where… I woke up here, all my things were gone, I couldn't find my phone, I can't even find my shoes…" she stuttered, her eyes shining. She was still herself, that pure, beautiful soul. Her disappearance had destroyed him, but as soon as he got her back he felt whole again. And so he had to explain the last five years. He had to tell her all the horrors, all the losses… she sobbed for hours about Tony and Natasha, horrible gasping sobs that broke his heart and cut him deeply. But their sacrifices had righted the world once more. Steve knew he would have done the same for them. For anyone.

He knew that there was a lot to be done still. So when he was getting suited up after Tony's funeral, preparing to go back into the past to fix things up, she pulled him off to the side.

"Steve, do you remember one of our first dates? We watched a movie at my place, and you said you weren't sure that, if you had the chance, you could go back and change things. Do you remember that?" Her eyes shone with remorse. What was she saying?

"Yes, I remember." He nodded, confusion evident in his voice.

"If you… if you wanted to stay there… I wouldn't.." she choked on her words, her eyes filling with tears. "I wouldn't blame you. I understand, Steve, if you went back and didn't return…" she shook her head, wiping her tears furiously from her face. "You have a wonderful chance to get back what was taken from you."

"I already have everything, Clara. I won't lose you. Not again." He shook his head sharply, and she sobbed once more.

"I feel so guilty, Steve. I can't keep you from that… from Peggy…" she was stuttering and sobbing and her face was red from rubbing her cheeks so hard, but he still thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

"This was meant to be. Me and you… we're meant for each other. I was meant to get frozen and survive. I was meant to move in across from you. I was meant to kiss you, meant to save you. And I'm not gonna give up on us for something that could have been seventy years ago. I'm not that same man that loved Peggy in the forties. No, I'm Steve Rogers. And when I get back, I'm gonna marry you. Because I was born for you. And you for me." He leaned down to give her a deep kiss after his little speech, and she tasted a little salty from her tears. But he didn't care. Because she was his. And he'd never let go of her, not if he could help it.

She watched him step up onto the platform, and he gave her a small wink before preparing to go.

"I knew you were worthy from the first moment you moved it in the tower." She grinned down at Mjolnir hanging loosely from his hand. He gave her another smile, and she blew him a kiss.

"You're all that matters now." He confessed before slipping through time, traveling to each moment the stones were taken from and placing them back, righting the universe once more. It didn't take him too long. He didn't see Peggy again. He didn't see past Clara again, but he stayed in New York for a few extra seconds, watching the original six from a dark corner. He saw Tony and Natasha, the smiles on their faces, the exhausted relief after they won the battle of New York. He almost went up to them, to tell them how much they meant to him. But then he saw his past self turn to them with a smile, and the ones that they returned stopped him.

He wouldn't have to say it to them, because they already knew.

So he went back, no interference with the past, no lasting impression. The universe was restored to the way it should be.

And he could do what he was meant to. He had a small ceremony with his girl. He slipped that wedding band on her finger, and she smiled at him in that pretty white dress, and her dad looked so proud, and his family was there too. The people that meant the most to him, the ones that always had his back. He felt like Tony and Nat were there too. Tony's little girl was their flower girl, of course, he had to involve his protege in some way. And it all felt right.

He retired his shield, handing the mantle off to Sam. He knew he could do it. He and Bucky had a lot of work to do. But all he wanted was to start his new life with his perfect girl. His life would be perfect with her.

He built them a small little place, with a garden and a big yard and a loving mutt and plenty of trees for poor Richard to climb up. And when her belly began to swell with his baby, he felt like he could fly to the moon.

When he found out that what they thought was one baby was actually two, he cried. He knew exactly what it was. He knew exactly what their names would be.

And when Natasha and Tony Rogers we're born, he cried again. Pepper cried. Clint cried. The whole team cried, basically.

He finally felt complete. He and Clara were complete.

Steve finally got his happy ending.

The Real End

**PLEASE DON'T COMMENT SPOILERS ABOUT ENDGAME!!!**

Steve and Clara are finally happy. YALL THOUGHT I WAS JUST GONNA LEAVE HER DUSTED FOREVER? Nah. I had to fix them up. And it felt wrong to erase Natasha and Tony's deaths in Endgame. I cried during the entire movie and I cried myself to sleep about the ending of the movie. But I knew exactly what Steve needed to do to keep their memory.

Thank you guys so much for loving this story. In the future I might do a few one-shots between Clara and Steve and add them to the end of this, but it feels right to end it here. I wanted them to be happy, and I wanted Steve to get the ending he deserved.

**I love Captain America, and the fact that he's done in the MCU makes me tear up a lot. But I know it had to happen sometime, and I'm glad that I got to be around to see the entirety of his run as Captain. I'll always love the Avengers. They meant the world to me. **


	22. The One Where Clara is Pregnant

**I wanted to give a small look at what it was like while Clara and Steve were expecting baby Natasha and Tony. I just love them, and I love to write people in love, so I couldn't help myself, I had to write this little oneshot. This one's for all the people who wanted more of this story, I hope I can get inspiration to write more little snippets like this. **

Clara could barely stand it. She felt bloated, her feet ached, she always had a headache and she was always hungry. She was miserable.

There were obvious perks to pregnancy, but there were so many cons that weighed on her day after day that she could hardly handle them. Not to mention she was giant, carrying two babies to term. Seven months in and people thought she was ready to pop. _She_ thought she was ready to pop, honestly.

And it didn't help that Steve was constantly working, constantly helping to rebuild the entire world. She was so lonely.

Life without Tony and Natasha was difficult. She thought of them all the time, wishing she could speak to them and let them know how she was doing. But fate was cruel, and she would never be able to see them again. She felt her eyes begin to tear up just thinking about it.

But as soon as a soft whimpering sob left her lips, her "guard dog" raced into the room, panic in his eyes and hands moving wildly.

"What is it, what's wrong Clare?" Bucky asked frantically. Steve had recruited his best friend to keep an eye on his best girl while he was gone, and James Buchanan Barnes was nothing if not thorough. He helped her with the most mundane tasks, rarely left her side, and whipped up anything she was craving. Literally anything. Clara would have thought it was cute if it wasn't so annoying.

"I-it's nothing, just the hormones." she sniffled, wiping her tears from her eyes. He seemed to sigh in relief before plopping down next to her on the porch swing, his hair moving in the breeze to tickle her nose. She swatted the wavy brown locks out of her face before giving him a watery smile.

"Are you hungry? Do your feet hurt? I can get you some hot water and a footbath." the soldier offered, and she shook her head.

"No, I just want to sit here for now." she replied quietly, and the duo gazed out over the yard in content. She and Steve had moved, the destroyed compound obviously no place for them anymore. So he found them a small place, once a farm and now just a cute little spot of land just outside town. A tiny pond in the back filled with guppies and frogs, cattails swaying in the warm summer breeze. Rust red brick and dark wood made up the home, beautiful and rustic and inviting. No air conditioning, which she hated during the summer, but a roaring fireplace that she couldn't wait to fire up during the cold winter months and snuggle up with Steve. This was her perfect life.

Well, almost perfect. She just wished Bucky could shut up sometimes.

"Are you getting cold? It's pretty dark out now, I can grab you a sweater." her friend glanced down at her bare legs. Pants were too much of a struggle, so she'd settled with flowy dresses and sandals for the last few months of her pregnancy.

"Buck. Just sit here and enjoy the quiet, okay?" she groaned, leaning back and using her legs to push them in a slow rocking rhythm. He didn't speak for a while, and she appreciated the chirping crickets and whirring cicadas. Distant squeaks revealed the bats in the trees, and she saw a few fireflies lighting up in a field far away. Stars peeked from behind the clouds, and the moon barely shone, only a sliver in the night sky. She could stay out all night and just watch and listen to it all. It was breathtaking, every bit of it.

So they were quiet, and they watched and they waited for Steve to come back. She knew that Bucky probably loved his friend just as much as she did, of course in a different way. And, since she and her husband (god she loved calling him that) announced that they were expecting, well, a lot of that love had transferred to the precious cargo she carried. Bucky was probably the most excited to see the babies, just after her and Steve of course. Any part of his best friend was something that he immediately wanted to be a part of. Bucky made them promise to call them as soon as she went into labor. The man actually wanted to be there for it. Of course, he'd be a godparent, Steve wouldn't have it any other way.

Clara would have loved for Natasha to be a godmother. But, making Pepper Anthony's godmother seemed right. And, well, Wanda was the other of course. The girl was too sweet for her own good, and had become a wonderful friend to Clara. And Sam, well. Of course the man would be godfather to baby Natasha. He had been there for the pair since he'd first met them, and had saved their asses more times than either could count. And while things weren't perfect, they were good. And that was all that she could hope for.

She had begun to doze off outside before Bucky nudged her, murmuring that he'd help her into the house. She agreed that time, letting him pull her to her feet, practically carrying her into the house. He helped her up the stairs and towards her and Steve's bedroom, bringing her over to the bed and helping her sit down.

"Do you want socks on?" he asked quietly, moving to her dresser to pick up her pajamas from the top. She gave a sleepy shake of her head, and he set the clothes down on her lap.

"Y'know, Buck, you're gonna make some lucky girl really happy one day." she smiled at him, fighting back a yawn. He paused, blinking at her.

"That stuff doesn't matter to me." he replied, his voice soft. "Do you want the window open?" she gave a quick nod, and he strode across the room and slid the pane up, letting in the sounds of the night. "I'll be right next door if you need me." he came over to rest his hand on her head, his skin cool in the sticky night air.

"I miss him." she whispered, and he paused in the doorway, turning back to face her.

"I know." was all that he said before he was gone, and she was alone again. She'd spent a good portion of her life alone, but recently it just felt wrong. She missed her husband. She missed his soft kisses, his sweet smiles, his stupid jokes, and all of his stubbornness. She missed how he'd pick the pickles off his burgers and set them on hers, how he only made chocolate chip pancakes for her even though he preferred blueberry. She missed how soft his hair felt underneath her fingertips, and how smooth and fresh his cheeks felt after a fresh shave. She missed how blue his eyes always looked in the morning, and how dark they'd get at night when he'd whisper sweet nothings to her and make her ache with want for him. She wished she could have him all to herself, but he was such a wonderful man that she knew she had to share him.

She fumbled around to get her pajamas on, some simple cotton shorts and a loose-fitted camisole that stretched over her round stomach. She lifted the hem to trace her fingers over the stretch marks and thin veins that looked almost purple in the low light. She sighed, wondering when she'd be able to see her feet again. She tried to get comfortable on her bed, spreading herself out between the sheets, knowing she'd be on her own. It sucked, but she could handle it, especially when she would wake up sweating and racing to the bathroom when one of the twins would be crowding her bladder.

The next morning couldn't come soon enough. Steve would be home sometime that day, she was sure of it. She let Bucky sleep in while she waddled her way down the stairs and into the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of milk. She thought that she would make some toast and peanut butter, but when she looked in the cupboard and saw that the jar was gone, it wasn't surprising that tears began to leak from her eyes. A sob escaped her and Bucky was by her side in an instant, his hand gripping her elbow gently.

"What's wrong? Did you stub your toe?" he asked, checking her for injuries.

"We don't have any peanut butter!" she hiccuped, burying her face in her hands as he tried to shush her tears.

"Hey, hey don't worry, I see it, it was on the top shelf, I'm sorry I must not have put it back in its spot yesterday." he cooed to her, reaching up and pulling it down for her, and just like that she felt her crushing despair lift.

"You're gonna be so good with my babies." she sniffled, pulling the jar from his hands and shuffling back to the counter where her toast was just about done. Every time she cried he'd figure out a way to help her stop, without fail.

"I-I hope so." he revealed, handing her a butter knife and watching as she scooped the peanut butter from the jar and smeared it over the toasted bread.

"You're so good. So good, Bucky." she felt the tears running down her face again, but just let them drip down to the collar of her dress. "People might think you're not, but my babies will know that you're good."

"I…" Bucky sounded choked up, but Clara didn't turn to face him. She knew what she was saying, and she knew what he thought about himself. He didn't deserve what happened to him. And she and Steve would make sure he got past these things to rebuild his life. Because he deserved better.

"Why is everyone crying in here?" she heard from the kitchen doorway, and she felt herself whirl to face Steve. Her heart beat wildly in her chest and she felt her face split into a giant smile, and he crossed the room in a second to wrap her up in a hug. His hair was unkempt and he had the beginnings of a beard, but he looked so handsome she couldn't breathe for a moment.

"Took you long enough to get back." Bucky had composed himself, a knowing smile appearing on his face. "I can't tell you how many times she's sent me out to run and get something she's craving."

"Buck, I've been gone for three days." Steve sighed teasingly, rubbing his hands up and down Clara's back.

"No, it's true, I made him get me an ice cream cake two times." she mumbled into her husband's chest, and he glanced down at her before bursting into laughter.

"Two whole cakes?" Steve teased, stepping back from her to give a hug to his best friend.

"We saved you some." Bucky defended her, and she smiled at him. Steve glanced between the pair with a knowing grin.

"I should know better than to leave the two of you together. I'm surprised the house is still standing. Two cakes?" he shook his head and glanced at the counter.

"Since you're back, I should get going. Sam wanted to get some practice in this week, and I still have some stuff to do at the base." Bucky cleared his throat, stepping backwards towards the front door.

"Oh, do you want us to give you a ride back?" Clara asked, and he gave a sharp shake of his head.

"Nah, you guys catch up. I wanted to go for a run anyways." Bucky gave a mock salute before he left, leaving the pair together in the kitchen. Steve glanced down at her with a smile, adoration twinkling in those bright blue eyes. She grinned up at him, but leaned around him to snag her piece of toast.

"I missed you." he smiled softly at her, his hands coming to rest at her sides to tug her closer to him. She just took a bite of her toast, munching on it as he rolled his eyes. "Not even gonna share?" he feigned a pout, and she rolled her eyes, holding it up for him to take a bite.

"The tiger lilies are blooming right now." she mentioned before taking another bite. He grinned at her, glancing over the top of her head to the back window where he could see the garden.

"They look swell. I thought you said they might not bloom the first year?" he asked, and she just shrugged in reply. He glanced at the flowers before looking back down at her. "Can I draw you?" he almost begged, and she blinked at him.

"Like, now?" he nodded, a pleading look in his eyes as he grabbed her now empty hands.

"I feel like I haven't seen you in so long, I just want to look at you for a few hours. And I want to remember what you look like when you're like this, all happy and glowing, and, you know…" he made an arcing motion in front of his stomach and glanced down at her belly.

"So you want to do like a maternity picture?" she frowned, glancing down at her stomach. "Steve, I don't know…" she shook her head, placing her hands on her round belly. "Am I gonna be wearing clothes in this one?" she asked weakly. His eyebrows shot up, and he frowned.

"You're usually not wearing any when I draw you." he glanced down at her stomach again. "Is something wrong?"

"I-I just… it's not cute." she blurted out, her fingers scrunching in the fabric over the taut skin on her bump. "Th-there's a lot of veins, and marks, and it's kinda bumpy…" she rambled, not looking him in the eye.

"What are you talking about?" Steve's face puckered with confusion. "Your belly is so cute, I love it… and I love who's in it."

"I do too, I just…" she bit her lip. "My boobs are sore and swollen, and my feet are swollen, and my stomach is really freaking giant, and I have a bunch of cellulite on my butt." she couldn't stop naming the things she glared at in the mirror, and Steve's face fell as he listened. "Plus I haven't been able to, like, shave my bikini line or my legs since I got so huge, I can't see what it's like down there." she should have felt embarrassed saying all these things to him, but he was her husband and she was allowed to rant to him.

"Clara. You're beautiful, okay? I love your stomach, and how giant it is. I love all those little marks on it, I love to kiss them and say hello to our babies inside. I love to give you a foot rub at night when your ankles hurt, and I love the little dimples on your butt. And even if your boobs are sore and swollen I don't care, you're still beautiful, you're so gorgeous. Do you really not think so?" she felt herself swell up with pride at his words. "You're my wife, dammit, and if I can't help you feel beautiful then I feel like I'm failing." that was it, when he said "my wife" she was done for. Of course she was beautiful, of course Steve loved her even if she was having body image issues. She was pregnant, bringing two precious babies into the world and she would surely rather die than dislike anything about the experience.

"Okay." she smiled up at him, pressing a kiss to the corner of his lips.

"Okay what?" he looked dumbfounded.

"Okay, you can draw me." she beamed, and his face split open into a grin.

"Do I get to help you undress?" he smiled cheekily, and she swatted at his shoulder.

"You never change, Steve Rogers." she teased.

"You know you love it, Clara Rogers." her stomach fluttered when he called her that. She loved it when he said her married name. It just solidified all that they'd been through, all that they promised each other they'd go through in the future.

"Go grab your pencils." she laughed, and he gave an eager nod, turning to walk out of the kitchen before pausing, giving her a happy grin.

"Go outside. I've got an idea." he smiled, and when he returned they sat out in the summer sun, and he threaded flowers through her hair as she laid in the patch of tiger lilies, vibrant orange and red petals velvety soft against her skin, and the adoring way he looked at her as he penciled in her figure made her breath catch in her throat. It was moments like this where it was all worth it. Where she knew that if anything else would change, it wouldn't be right, and she had to keep pushing forward. Because it meant everything to her to be with him, to be a part of his life. He may have been Captain America, but she'd married Steve Rogers. And there was nobody else on this earth for her.


End file.
